


These Are the Times That Try a Ghoul's Soul

by FalloutDandelion



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alcohol, Banter, Drug Use, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Psychotic break, Slow Burn, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2018-10-07 09:49:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 57
Words: 100,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10357662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FalloutDandelion/pseuds/FalloutDandelion
Summary: Hancock thought being mayor of Goodneighbor was a decent gig, until a particular vault dweller draws his attention. Now he finds himself chasing her across the Commonwealth as she completes her quest to find her son and save the Commonwealth.This story I mostly wrote just for me, but thought I would share just in case someone else might also enjoy it. It's based on my favorite play though.





	1. Through the Haze

     "Just lean back and enjoy the ride..."

  
     Hancock leaned his head against one of the Old State House windows, dazed from his latest hit of Jet. Colors seemed brighter, lines crisper. He lifted one of his hands to the glass, staring at the the shadows created by his ghoulish skin, shadows which were further enhanced by the setting sun in the distance. A thin fog was forming below in the streets of Goodneighbor. Hancock let his mind wonder as he watched the wisps of mist dance in a gentle breeze. That's when he noticed _her_.

     She had a slight build hidden under a pair of dusty slacks tucked into combat boots, topped with a black leather jacket. Hancock's eyes trailed down her arm, past the fair skin revealed on her forearm, to her gloved hand gently gripping a laser musket. Long locks of chestnut hair gathered around her shoulders, where a piece of what he guessed was handmade metal armor was perched. But to his annoyance a leather tricorn hat blocked his view of her face.

  
     "What the hell..?"

     Hancock could hear his bodyguard, Fahrenheit's irritated sigh behind him, "Seriously? They're called hands, Hancock."

     "What? No. Who is that?"

     Fahrenheit lazily rolled her head to the side to gaze out the window at the woman in the tricorn hat. In a bored voice, "Your haze that thick or is it your skull? That's Abigail. You paid her to check out Pickman's Gallery. The stiff next to her is new though."

     Hancock moved his attention to the man beside her, dark skinned and dressed in a colonial duster and minuteman's hat. His memories returning from the haze, "I thought you said she didn't steal anything from my strong room?"

     "She didn't."

     Hancock paused as he stared out the window, "Then why the hell is she wearing my hat?"

     He could practically hear Fahrenheit's eyes rolling, "Your hats on your head, idiot."

     Hancock raised his hand to his head, where sure enough his own tricorn hat was placed. A grin spread across his ghoul face, "Well, imagine that sister."

     Turning to walk out the door, he could hear Fahrenheit call out behind him, "You sure you wanna be mixing with the general public this messed up?"

     A rough laugh escaped his lips, "This high will be over before my feet hit the pavement, sister."


	2. We Meet Again

     "Well hello, everything here is guaranteed to injure, maim, or kill at your discretion. Except me. I only kill when I want to."

      Preston let out an uncomfortable cough, as the fembot KLEO leaned over the counter, "Uh, what exactly are you?"

      KLEO's robotic voice hummed through the small gun shop, "I'm a woman, baby. Can't you tell?"

      Abigail let out a soft laugh, placing a reassuring hand on Preston's shoulder, "I'm sorry, KLEO. My friend here gets a little uncomfortable around beautiful women. We were hoping to pick up some ammo, also have some extra guns we were hoping you could take off our hands."

     "Sure thing, killer."

     Preston hoisted his pack onto the counter and began unloading the weapons that he and Abigail had _liberated_ from some raiders early that day.

     "Your arms tired from all that digging, sister? I thought Fahrenheit told you to come see me after your little encounter in my strong room?"

     Abigail watched Preston stiffen in front of her as she turned to see the mayor of Goodneighbor leaning against the doorway of Kill or Be Killed, wearing his signature red flock and tricorn hat.

     With a small smirk, she answered, "Damn, I knew I had forgotten to put something in my day planner. Sorry Hancock, it must have slipped my mind."

     Kicking off the doorway, Hancock walked across the small store to stand next to her, "You see, the way I figure, the least you could do is buy me a drink for all that trouble you caused me."

     Abigail leaned back against the counter, a playful smile on her lips, as she lifted her chin to look up at the ghoul towering above her, "The trouble I caused you? You see, the way I figure it, I excavated your own private entrance to your strong room and took care of Bobbi No-Nose for free. So the least _you_ could do is buy _me_ a drink for my efforts."

     A grin spread across the ghoul's face as he placed his hands either side of her on the counter. Abigail could smell a sweetness on his breath as he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Sounds like a date, sister."

     Stifling a shiver, Abigail watched Preston's hand appear from over the ghoul's shoulder, grabbing Hancock's collar and roughly pulling him away from her.

     Hancock glanced over to see Preston's scowl. Swatting his hand away, he responded irritably, "Relax boy scout, we were just having a conversation."

     A tension formed between them as the men stared at each other in silence. Sensing the negative energy, Abigail placed a hand on Preston's chest as she looked to Hancock, "Sorry, Hancock. We're going to have to make a rain check, we are meeting Nick at the Memory Den."

     Abigail could feel Preston relax under her touch, as a smile returned to the ghoul's face, "Nicky's in town, eh? Well I hope you weren't hoping to visit the Doc, the Memory Den's closed for maintenance."

     Abigail let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned her head back, "Closed? For how long?"

     Hancock tilted his head as he gazed at the curves of her neck, waiting a moment to respond, "Atleast the night, sister."

     Abigail turned to Preston, who had returned to emptying out his pack on the counter, "Can you finish up here, Preston?"

     Tilting his hat toward her, he replied, "Sure thing, General."

     "Could you also find Nick and let him know we are checking into Rexford for the night? This one owes me a drink."

     Preston's eyebrows furrowed with disappointment, "Be careful, General."

     "I always am." Hancock smirked as he lead Abigail out of the store.

     Abigail waited until they rounded a corner to ask, "So where are we going?"

     "The only place there is to get a good drink in this town: the Third Rail."

     Hancock wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he steered her toward the entrance. Abigail raised an eyebrow at him as he pulled her into him, "You this friendly with everyone you meet?"

     Hancock let out a rough laugh as they walked down the stairs to the bar area, "One of the many perks of being the mayor."

     The British robot behind the counter stopped polishing a glass as they approached, in a bored voice he asked, "What's your poison?"

     "I'll have the usual, Charlie. And whatever the lady wants."

     "Two fingers of whiskey, please."

     "You're just full of surprises aren't ya, sister?" Hancock gave her a sideways glance as he grabbed their drinks and lead her to the back room.

     "Hancock! How's the coolest ghoul in the Commonwealth?" A man said with a grin as he laid spread out on the sofa in the middle of the room. He wore a torn, tan jacket over what looked like a worn olive gunner's uniform.

  
     "Hey MacCready, mind if we take the room?"

     The man, MacCready, lowered his head so the brim of his olive hat hid his devilish grin. "Anything for the mayor of Goodneighbor."

     As he stood to leave, he tilted his hat to Abigail, "You two have fun."

     "So... you're pretty popular, even by mayor standards." Abigail said as she situated herself on the sofa, tucking her legs under her and perching her elbow against the back of sofa.

     "What can I say that my irresistible charms haven't?" Hancock eyed her as he handed Abigail her drink, laying out on the sofa next to her and kicking his feet onto the coffee table.

     Abigail sipped her whiskey as she looked around the room. The soft glow of the lights made every surface in the dusty room a rosey red. Empty bottles were scattered about the floor, weakly sparkling in the red glow.  
She glanced over to see Hancock watching her. Smiling softly, she said, "So tell me about yourself, Hancock. What's your story?"

     "My favorite subject." Hancock said as he leaned back into the sofa, "I came to this town about... a decade ago. Had a smooth set of skin back then."

     Abigail felt her eyes narrow, "Wait, hold up. You've only been a ghoul for less than a decade?"

     Hancock made a cocky grin as he continued his story, "While I was busy making myself a pillar of this community. I would go on these... wild tears... I was young. Any chems I could find, the more exotic, the better. Finally found this experimental radiation drug. Only one of its kind left, and only one hit."

     His black eyes sparkled, recalling the tale, "Oh man, the high was so worth it. Yeah, I'm living with the side effects, but hey what's not to love about immortality?"

     Tilting her head, Abigail asked, "You're immortal?"

     "Well not exactly, ghouls just age really, really slow. Something about the rads, maybe? Who knows.."

      A silence falls between them as they both sip on their drinks, until Hancock asked in his raspy voice, "So did my ears deceive me or did I hear that stiff with you earlier call you 'General'?"

     "Well if you want this night to continue, you will call him by his name: Preston."

     With a chuckle, Hancock responded, "Alright, Preston."

     Abigail smiled as she sipped her drink, "Yes, he did."

     Raising what should have been an eyebrow, "And...?"

     "And what...?"

     "Why was a hot shot general, such as yourself, getting mixed up with the likes of Bobbi? Don't get me wrong, I love a heist as much as the next ghoul. But I thought the Minutemen were a bunch of goody two shoes, especially their general."

     Her smile turned to a grin as the whiskey began to set in, "So you thought you could liquor me up and I would reveal all my secrets?"

     Hancock scooted closer to her on the sofa. In a low voice, he said, "I was only asking an innocent question."

     Abigail ran her fingers through her hair as she thought of a reply. Propping her elbow back to its perch, she leaned forward to say, "Being a Minuteman is a voluntary service. You don't do it for riches or for glory, you do it because it's right. You do it because you aren't content with the way things are and dream of making the Commonwealth a better place. The people we help try to pay us with caps, but most of the time, it's not even enough to pay for the ammunition. Let alone the weapons and armor they need. So I take on side jobs to fund them. But I'll let you in on a secret..."

     Abigail smiled dangerously as she motioned for Hancock to move in closer. Their cheeks brushed together as she whispered into his ear, "I also deal in chems. I can cook you up some of the best Jet that will ever cross your tongue."

     "You definitely are full of surprises."


	3. Into the Fog

     "Can I offer you a hit, sister?"

     Hancock stared at Abigail from across the sofa, the smoke from the Third Rail glowing pink above them. His arm was extended toward her, a small tin case filled with red pills in his hand. He felt his heartbeat quicken when she flashed a playful smile his way.

     A few strains of her brown hair broke away from her shoulders as she shook her head, "That one's all yours."

     "Suit yourself." He said, as he popped a pill in his mouth. Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, Hancock could feel the high setting in. A mix of Mentats and alcohol created a comforting haze in his mind, sending him into a familiar, relaxing state. Until the touch of a gentle hand on his neck drew his attention, slowing opening his eyes he could see Abigail's dark silhouette as she blocked out the glow of the overhead lights. Her leg crossed his lap as she situated herself over him, her hands tracing the harsh lines of his skin along his neck toward the exposed parts of his chest. Abigail's lips brushed against his as she leaned closer, one of her hands ducking under his loose shirt.

     "Hancock..."

     He could hear her voice, almost a whisper as her lips kissed along his jaw. Hancock moved his hand to grip her thighs as her hands continue to explore under his shirt. He lifted his head to kiss along her neck. His heart racing even through the haze of his mind. Hancock wanted her. And he wanted her now.

     "Hancock..?"

     Hancock's eyes shot open, slightly disoriented as he glanced around the room. There across the sofa, Abigail looked at him with an inquisitive stare, still holding her empty glass. The soft features of her face were glowing under the red lights.

     With a nervous laugh, Hancock answered, "Woah, sorry 'bout that sister. My mind must have wondered off."

     Her stare turned into an amused smile, "Must have been a fun trip, especially with all that moaning."

     A cocky smile returned to the ghoul's face, "Too bad you had to miss out."

     Another silence passed between them before Hancock said, "So before I get distracted again, there was another reason I asked you to have a drink with me, sister."

     "Oh, besides dazzling me with your charming wit?"

     Hancock sat up on the sofa as he softly chuckled, turning his head to face her head on, "Yeah... I was thinking..."

     Hancock paused as the door to the back room opened. They both turned their heads to face the door to see Daisy enter with a tray of noodles and another round of drinks.

     The pre-war ghoul smiled as she set the tray down on the coffee table in front of them. In her soft raspy voice, she said, "I heard you two were back here and figured you needed another round."

     Turning to face Abigail, she continued, "I cannot thank you enough for clearing out the library of those green brutes."

     Abigail smiled back at her, "It's nice to know someone else cares about that place. I remember prepping for my first case inside those walls back when I was an intern. But really Daisy, you didn't need to do this."

     "Oh let an old women say thanks in her own way. You two have fun." Daisy said as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

     Hancock stared at Abigail as she grabbed a cup of noodles off the tray, trying to piece together exactly what he had just heard.

     Grabbing his second drink, he asked her, "What do you mean you remember 'prepping for your first case' at the library?"

     Abigail finished sipping up a few noodles before she answered, "I used to be a lawyer, back before the war."

     "A lawyer, eh? Someone seriously paid you to sit around and read books all day?"

     "It was a bit more complicated than that."

     Hancock finished his second drink in a few gulps, "You have got to work on your story telling, sister. You're leaving out all the good bits."

     He caught an amused glimmer in her brown eyes as she took another bite of noodles. Setting her noodles back down on the tray and grabbing her second glass of whiskey, she said, "Maybe you need to work on asking the questions that will get you the information you're looking for."

     "Oh yeah? Questions like what?"

     Abigail let out a giggle as she gently punched Hancock's shoulder, "It wouldn't be much fun if I just told you now, would it? Besides, I wanna make you work for it."

     Her smile disappeared behind her glass as she took another sip of whiskey. Hancock could smell the alcohol on her breath, scooting across the sofa to sit directly beside her. He placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and burying what was left of his nose into her hair as he whispered in her ear, "I think I want to ask you to tell your life story, sister."

     Abigail giggled as she pulled herself away from him. Cocking an eyebrow at him, she said, "Now that wouldn't leave much to talk about next time, would it?"

     Hancock's voice turned into a playful growl, "So there's gonna be a next time?"

     Abigail slowly stood, turning to face Hancock still sitting on the sofa. Her arm extended out to him as she struggled to keep her balance.

     "That, Mayor, is the right question."

     Hancock caught her hand in his to steady her, "If it's the right question, do I get an answer, sister?"

     A grin spread across her lips, "Maybe.... But it's getting late so..."

     Abigail cut herself off with a giggle as she turned to leave. Hancock tightened his grip on her as he stood. She gave a soft tug, turning to see the source of her entrapment.

     "It's probably best if I take you to your room, sister."

     Abigail wrapped his arm around her shoulders, setting into another fit of giggles as she played with the frills loosely falling from his sleeve.

      _This girl will be the death of me_... Hancock thought, leading her through the crowds of the Third Rail, as Abigail's fingers became more and more tangled in his jacket.


	4. A Question for You

     "Duh nuh nuh!" Abigail hummed the Mission Impossible theme song as she wandered up the stairs of the Hotel Rexford after getting bored of watching Hancock's conversation with the women at the front counter. It had been since before the war that she had had drinks out on the town, and she was hell bent on enjoying herself while she still could.

     Catching sight of movement ahead of her, she darted into a hallway.

  
     "Duh nuh nuh!"

     "General?"

     "Duh Nuh!" Abigail began a fit of giggles as Preston approached her in the poorly lit hallway.

     "General, you've been gone for hours. Are you..." Abigail raised her fingers to his lips as she shushed him. Preston grabbed both of her arms to support her as she wobbled in front of him.

     Leaning forward into his arms, Abigail whispered, "It's so sweet that you worry about me, Preston. I'm fine, really."

     Even through the darkness, Abigail could still see a look of skepticism on his face, sending her into another fit of giggles for reasons even she didn't know.

     "I don't know what you were thinking, going off with him by yourself. You should have let me go with you..."

     "Preston! Preston!" She said as she tugged on the sleeves, "It's called networking! I have big plans for the Commonwealth! Big plans! And I'm gonna need all the influence I can get."

     "And what's that influence gonna get you if you're not careful, Abigail?"

     "A shallow grave?" Abigail said in a fake sad voice, pouting her lips as she looked up at him.

     "Exactly, next time let me come with you. Especially around him."

     Abigail pushed herself against Preston's grasp to better look at his face in the darkness. She could see a concerned look cloud his dark features, "Around Hancock? Please. I've dealt with ass grabbing, power mongering men in my line of work before the war, by their standards Hancock's a gentleman."

     "Well, I wouldn't go that far, sister." Hancock's raspy voice cut through the darkness. Abigail could feel Preston's hold on her tighten as Hancock walked down the hallway towards them, "I was wondering where you had wondered off to."

     "Yeah thanks Hancock, but we were turning in for the night." Preston said stiffly, softly pulling Abigail closer to him.

     An amused smirk crossed Hancock's face as he turned his attention to Abigail, "Well there was one more thing I was hoping to disgust with the lady before you two turned in."

     "Of course! Step into my office." Abigail said as she pulled herself from Preston's grip and moved toward the closest doorway. She stopped abruptly as she felt herself bump into something hard and cold that grabbed her as she stumped backwards.

     "Watch yourself there, doll."

     "Nick!" She giggled as the synth steered her toward the correct doorway. Nick caught Hancock's arm as he went to follow her.

     The synth's eyes glowed yellow in the darkness, "Don't try anything, John."

     "Come on, Nick. You know I don't make promises I can't keep."

     Hancock smirked as he caught a glare from Preston.

     "I'm serious, John. She in a vulnerable place."

     "What just because she's had a few drinks? Come on, Nicky. The girl's tough as nails."

      Nick stared at Hancock in the darkness, keeping his hold on the ghoul's arm, "It's not my place to tell you. Just trust me, alright?"

     "Alright, alright. I'll keep it G rated, scout's honor. Eh, boy scout?" He gave Preston a nudge as he moved to Abigail's room.

     As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Hancock spotted Abigail sitting on her bed in the corner of the room.

     Motioning the spot next to her, "Have a seat, Mr. Mayor. What can I do for you?"

     Taking a seat next to her on the bed, "You remember the day you first stumbled into this town of misfits and drifters, sister?"

     Abigail gave a giggle as she rolled her head to rest on Hancock's shoulder, "How can I forget? There was a damn greeter trying to sell me insurance the second I set foot in here. I thought I had just wandered into a Raider den." Abigail smile faded as she continued, "I honestly thought I was going to have to shoot myself out of here for killing him."

     Hancock smiled recalling that day, "You walked into a new place. And made a show of dominance. What the hell kind of weapon did you swing out again?"

     "A ripper. Took over week of scrubbing to get all the blood off my boots."

     "From that moment on I knew you were my kind of trouble."

     A moment of silence passed before he said, "Listen, I'm not proud of the way I had you handle Bobbi."

     A quizzical look crossed Abigail's face, "What are you talking about? She lied to me and almost got me mixed up in a fight I had no intention of being in. I put two in her head in the tunnels. You didn't know."

     "Yeah, but I could have stopped it." Hancock leaned his head against the wall as he continued, "Makes me wonder, have I turned into the man? Putting people's freedom down to do what comes natural?"

     Abigail cocked her head, "I don't know where you are going with this. But I hardly think being pissed about someone stealing from you is turning you into the man."

     Hancock gave a laugh, "I need to take a walk. Get back in touch with my fellow lowlifes. That's why I have decided. I'm coming with you. You are just the kind of trouble I need."

     "You calling me a lowlife, Hancock?"

     "I'm calling you the kind of girl that doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. If you wanna get specific, sister, I'd be happy to oblige."

     Abigail let out a giggle as she leaned her head against the wall, "So you just decided, did you? Not even gonna ask permission?"

     "Asking permission isn't really my strong suit, sister. But how about it?"

     Abigail let out a sigh, pausing before she answered him, "Listen Hancock, I'm not running around pulling heists for fame and glory. What I am doing is dangerous. I'm after the Institute."

     Silence filled the room as Hancock absorbed what she said, "You serious, sister?"

     "Dead serious, Hancock."

     Hancock thought back to what Nick had said earlier: _It's not my place to tell you._

     "Mind telling me why?"

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she looked up at him, "Come on, Hancock. Does it really matter to you? Just find someone else to take a walk with."

     "I'm not asking someone else, I'm asking you."

     "They took my son, alright?"

     "So tell me the story, sister. You said you were around before the war, how is that possible? And how do you know it was the Institute that took your son?"

     "Because the bastard who stole my son told me before I killed him, alright?" Abigail scooted away from him on the bed, "I knew you were a lot of things, Hancock, but I didn't think buzz kill was one of them. I think it's time for you to leave."

      Hancock hesitated, knowing he had caused her to build a wall between them. Before getting off the bed, he said, "Hey I was serious when I asked to go with you. Think it over, will ya?"

     "Yeah sure, whatever." Abigail said as she watched Hancock walk out of the room. She curled herself into a ball, taking comfort in the solitude he had left her in.


	5. Concerns

     "You alright, General?" Preston asked as he entered the room a few moments after Hancock had left. Abigail was laid out on her bed, facing away from the door.

     "Yes, Preston, I'm fine." She said as he took a seat at the edge of the bed. A moment of silence passed between them. Abigail had known Preston for a while now and knew when something was weighing on him.

     "What's on your mind, Preston?"

     The minuteman, as if to make sure she was still there in the dim light, moved his hand to rest on Abigail. Taking a minute to answer, he responded simply, "I'm just worried about you."

     Abigail let out a soft laugh as she rolled over to face him as she laid there, "You shouldn't worry so much, Preston. You'll prematurely age yourself."

     Preston's hand moved to rest on the bed beside her. Leaning over her, his eyes searched her's for something, "I'm just worried about the repercussions of you taking these side jobs. When Hancock came up to you earlier, I feared the worst."

     Abigail lifted a hand to Preston's cheek, "Where would we be if we didn't have the funding that those jobs supply? I want the Minutemen to succeed. So I take these jobs so they don't have to."

     Preston leaned into the touch of her hand, "I know that. Believe me I know that. But the Minutemen need you alive. I need you alive."

     "I know, Preston. Now you believe me, I'm not going down easily. I have plans for the Minuteman and the Commonwealth. And I can't do those things if I'm dead."

     The minuteman lifted his hand to rest on hers, closing his eyes, he responded, "I know, I know. Just be careful, especially around Hancock."

     "Preston..." She pulled her hand away from him as she situated herself on the bed.

     Abigail could hear Preston's voice tighten, "What did he want, anyways?"

     "He asked to come with us."

     He let out a huff, "You told him: No. Right?"

     "I told him I would think about it."

     Preston turned away from her as he rested his head in his hands, "Why, General? What possible..."

     "Preston, please just trust my judgement. I haven't lead us astray yet, have I?"

     "No. Of course, General. I'll let you get some sleep."

     As quickly as he said it, he was gone, leaving Abigail alone once more. Abigail closed her eyes, waiting for her slumber to begin.


	6. In the Mind of a Killer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter where spoilers about the main quest line start appearing. If you want to avoid spoilers, I suggest you turn back at once!!!
> 
> ...
> 
> Oh you're still here? Well then... Enjoy! :)

 

     "Did I already miss the party?" Hancock said as he walked into the basement of the Memory Den. Doctor Amari's lab coat swished behind her as she moved from monitor to monitor, clipboard in hand.

     "We are sort of in the middle of something Hancock, perhaps you could come back another time?" Hancock could see a look of concern on the doctor's face as she turned to one of the memory loungers in the basement.

     Hancock face turned to concern as well when he saw Abigail inside, her body laid limp and her eyes closed. Nick sat in a chair next to it, his gaze unfocused.

     "What the hell is going on?"

     "What's going on is: you need to leave, Hancock." Hancock turned to see Preston stand from his seat in the corner.

     "Fat chance of that boy scout. You can either tell me what going on in my own damn town or we are going to have some serious problems."

     The two stared at each other, each daring the other to make the first move.

     "Enough both of you. We are already in a delicate situation, I shouldn't need to remind you, Preston, but nothing like this has ever been done before." Amari cut in, moving to the back of the memory lounger.

     Preston made a soft huff as he sat back down in his seat. Hancock, however, moved to stand next to Amari to view the memory screen. Abigail gave a soft whimper in her trance as Hancock asked, "So what's going on, Doc?"

     From what Hancock could see on the screen, Abigail seemed to be watching a scarred man's conversation in a bar.

     Doctor Amari looked up from the monitors to answer him, "Abigail recovered a cybergenetic neural interface from her son's abductor. We were able to attach it to Nick's circuitry, but we needed Abigail's brain to process through the memories within."

     Hancock blinked in disbelief, "So hold up, sister. You have Abigail and Nick's brain hooked up together with a brain of a dead guy? How dangerous is this?"

     Doctor Amari adjusted the monitor in front of her, "It's hard to say, nothing like this has ever been done before."

     "And you guys just let her risk frying her brain? You got a fetish for vegetables or something, boy scout?"

     Preston jumped out of his seat, in outrage he practically yelled, "You think I wanted to let her do this? Abigail insisted!"

     Hancock moved his attention back to the monitor when Abigail soft whimper broke both of the men's attention. She was in what looked like an underground room, the sound of dripping water could be heard. The same scarred man from before was walking down a corridor lined with strange machines. A female in a hazmat suit stepped in front of him, "This is the one, here." The door of the pod made a hiss as it opened, revealing a man holding a small infant. The baby's cry echoed through the chamber as the man leaned forward coughing, "Is it over? Are we okay?"

     Hancock heard Abigail shudder as he continued watching the screen, "Almost, everything is going to be fine." The women in the hazmat suit cooed to the baby, as she tried to take it from the man's grasp. The scarred man, raising his pistol, said in a dangerous voice, "Let the boy go, I'm only gonna tell you once!" The man desperately held onto the baby, yelling "I'm not giving you Shaun!" A gunshot rang out through the room and the man went limp.

     "Nate..." Abigail moaned. Hancock heard her but couldn't move, his eyes were transfixed to the screen. Watching as they took away her son. _Shaun_. The name of Abigail's son rang through his head as the monitor turned black.

     Doctor Amari spoke into a speaker, "I'm... uh... Sorry you had to go through that again. I've found another intact memory. Whenever you are ready."

     A feeling of guilt set into Hancock's stomach, he was watching Abigail's inner most secrets without her consent. _I'm after the Institute... they have my son_. Hancock's thoughts moved to the conversation they had had the night before. What were those pods? Would that explain how Abigail was from before the war?

     "Shaun..."

     Hancock's attention moved back to the screen at the sound of Abigail's voice. A boy sat on the floor of a small house, while the scarred man was sitting in a chair across the room. If it was Abigail's son, years must have passed, because the boy must have been at least ten years old in this memory. Squinting at the screen, Hancock could see the boy had Abigail's eyes and chestnut hair. "Bye Kellogg!" Shaun said as he and who Hancock figured was an Institute synth disappeared in a flash of light.

     Doctor Amari spoke into the speaker once more, "Teleportation. Now it all makes sense. No one has found the entrance because there IS no entrance. Let me pull you out of there. As soon as you are ready..."

     She began adjusting the dials on the memory lounger, before moving over to Nick. Doctor Amari's fingers fiddled with Nick's circuits until she straighten herself up, Kellogg's neural interface in hand. She looked down at Nick with concern, "Nick, can you hear me?"

     "Loud and clear, Doc." Nick said as he broke out of his daze. "How's Abigail?"

     "I'm pulling her out now." Amari said as she returned to adjusting the dials on the memory lounger.

     "My head's still flashing through Kellogg's memories."

     "You alright, Nick?" Preston asked stepping forward.

     Nick waved off his question, "Nothing a quick walk can't fix."

     Hancock looked away from Abigail to ask, "Want me to go with you, Nicky?"

     "No, you two should be here for her when she wakes up." The synth said as he walked through the door.

     The lid of the memory lounge opened, Abigail laid there with her eyes closed, silent tears running down her cheeks. Preston and Hancock stood on either side of her.

     When Preston couldn't stand the silence any longer, he said, "Abigail? Can you hear me?"

     Abigail's eyes fluttered open. Grabbing both sides of her seat, she managed to stand herself up. Doctor Amari put her hands in front of her, telling her with a worried voice, "Slow movements, okay? I don't know what kind of side effects the procedure might have had. No one's ever... done this before."

     "How do you feel, sister?" Hancock's question focused Abigail's attention on him.

     Abigail wrapped her arms around herself, her body half hunched forward. Closing her eyes, she said, "I have this... burning feeling in my skull. It's like it's on fire."

     "Is there something you can do for that, Doc?" Hancock said as he put his hand on Abigail's back, a look of concern on his face. Doctor Amari walked to a set of drawers near the entrance of the room and pulled out a single Stimpack. Looking back at Abigail, she said, "That's not surprising. All the synapses in your brain have just been pulled apart, connected to someone else, and then pulled back together."

     She walked back over to Abigail, carefully inserting the needle into Abigail's arm, "This should ease things..."

     "Are you ready to talk about what happened in there?" Doctor Amari said as she pulled the needle out of Abigail's arm. Hancock could tell that Abigail didn't want to talk about what she had seen in Kellogg's memories, even as she straighten herself up, saying, "We got what we needed. The Institute uses teleportation to get in and out."

     "Yes. Their greatest secret has been revealed." Doctor Amari said as she held her chin to contemplate, "But that only leads to more questions. How does it work? Where do we go next?"

     "That scientist Kellogg was supposed to track down. Virgil. We need to find him."

      Doctor Amari voice rose with excitement, "You're right! A rogue scientist could answer all sorts of questions. Where did the memory say he was? The Glowing Sea? That doesn't make sense. No one goes there. Not even if they were desperate."

     Abigail closed her eyes, trying to keep her body from collapsing on itself, "That's why he's there. To make the Institute think twice about following him."

     Doctor Amari's eyes widened, "That must be it! He's using the Glowing Sea as a shield... or cloak... a way to throw them off and be at an advantage. If Virgil found a way to survive there, you'll have to do the same, if you're going to follow him."

     Abigail balance became unsteady as she tried to think of how she could wade through that much radiation, Hancock's hand moved to steady her. She looked to Doctor Amari, "How could I survive that much radiation, Doctor?"

     "Well any chemical compound such as Rad-X or Rad Away... A sealed environment suit would be great, if you could find one. Or maybe... one of those suits of Power Armor? That would be perfect."

     "We'll find a way through those rads, General. Don't worry." Preston said, glancing away from Hancock's hand on Abigail.

     "Good luck, and be safe..." Doctor Amari said in a low voice as the group moved up the stairs to join Nick. When they finally found him sitting in a chair near the exit, Abigail knelt in front of him, asking, "Nick, are you okay?"

      Nick lifted his head to meet her gaze, his synth yellow eyes seemed to stare right through her as he said in Kellogg's voice, "Hope you got what you were looking for inside my head. Heh. I was right. Should've killed you when you were on ice."

     Tears streamed down Abigail's cheeks, she gasped as her hands covered her mouth, "Nick?"

     Preston pulled Abigail to her feet, moving himself between her and Nick, "Nick? Are you alright?"

     "What? What are you talking about?" Nick said in his normal voice.

     Hancock put a hand on Abigail's shoulder, "You sounded just like Kellogg."

     "Did I? Huh. Amari said there might be some mnemotic impressions left over, but anyways I feel fine."

     "I'm sorry guys, but I need to be alone right now." Abigail said as she rushed to the door.

     "General, do you want me..."

     "No!" Abigail yelled as she ran out the door.


	7. Not Easily Scared

     "Go away."

     Hancock could hear Abigail call out from inside her room at the Hotel Rexford as he approached the door.

     Turning the knob, he heard her exasperated voice, "Damn it, Preston. That's an order."

     "One of the many perks of being the mayor, I don't have to be good at following orders, sister." Hancock surveyed the room as he entered. There was Abigail sitting on the bed, leaning her head back against the wall, just as she had the previous night. She took a drink from a canteen she held between her knees. Her tricorn hat was gone, allowing her brown locks to move about her face.

     "I'm not in the mood, Hancock."

     "You don't have to be, I'll just be sitting right.... here." Hancock said as he took a seat next to her. They sat there in silence, the afternoon sun shining through a window on the other side of the room.

     Abigail let out a sigh as she took another swig out of the canteen, "You know how many times I had drinks with the mayor before the war?"

     Hancock gave her a cocky smile, "And here I thought I was your first."

     "Nope." Abigail said softly, staring down at her canteen. "My life before this was filled with fundraisers and pro bono work, drinks with the mayor and fancy dinners with the who's who of Boston. Having drinks with you last night, took me back to that. I felt like I was in my element again."

     Abigail leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes, "Back when all I needed to succeed were my smarts and wit, what the hell do those things get me now? Nate would have handled this world better. Hell, he probably would have found Shaun by now. I guess anyone would have done better then some washed up lawyer."

     She let out a soft chuckle, "You know what they used to call forty lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?"

     Hancock stared at her, not sure what to say, "What?"

     "A good start..." Abigail brought the canteen back to her lips as she took another drink.

     Hancock watched the tears stream down her face, "What the hell are you talking about, sister? How many lawyers do you know pull out a fucking ripper when someone's trying to give them a shake down?"

     "Plus...." Hancock whispered as he leaned his head against hers, "Your wit still gets you drinks with the mayor..."

     Abigail laughed as she offered Hancock the canteen. Their fingers brushed together as he took it from her. A tangy sweetness disguised the burn of alcohol as he took a sip, pulling the canteen away from his lips he asked, "Whoa, what the hell is this, sister?"

     "Tenpines Bluff Mutfruit Wine." She said, taking it from him and bringing it to her lips. After taking a sip, she continued, "We are still working on a better name... The Tenpines settlement has these rolling hills that I thought would be perfect for an irrigation plan I remember reading about forever ago." Her eyes focused on the ceiling, "I want all the settlements to have a specialty, something that they can focus on besides just surviving. Start building a thriving economy again, improve the quality of life here in the Commonwealth. Maybe use a form of currency other than damn bottlecaps."

     "But then again..." Abigail said after taking another drink, "Plans are just that... Plans. If you don't execute them. How the hell am I supposed to contend with the Institute, hell even the Brotherhood? I just wanted to build a world for my son to grow up in and be apart of, but that doesn't really mean shit if I can't even find him..."

      "I think you already answered your own question, sister." Abigail looked at Hancock for the first time since he sat next to her, "What?"

     Giving her a warm smile, he leaned his head against hers and said, "You have a fresh set of eyes that this world needs, Abigail. We have been fumbling around for over the past 200 years. You can show us that there is more to life than just surviving."

     Their eyes locked as a smile exchanged between them, "So what's our next move, sister?"

     "The Glowing Sea." Abigail's voice was barely more than a whisper, "I have a hazmat suit back in Sanctuary Hills. Just one though, so it looks like I'll be going this one alone."

     "Not necessarily, sister."

      Abigail raised an eyebrow at him, a soft smile on her lips, "What? You're gonna tell me that you just happen to have a spare?"

     "Not exactly."

     Abigail's smile turned into a grin as she said, "Now who's the one that needs to work on their storytelling?"

     Hancock leaned his head back to laugh, "I'm a ghoul, sister. I can just walk in."

     "I thought extended time in high radiation could make a ghoul go feral?"

     "Maybe an ordinary ghoul, sister. But my... transformation was different."

     "You took a radioactive drug, right?"

     Hancock gazed up at the ceiling as he recalled, "A drug that gave me the best high of my life, sister. When the high was over, I had to have just one more hit. But there had only been one. I tried to repeat the effects with radiation, I wandered the Glowing Sea for days hoping that that much radiation would trigger another high. Long story short.... it didn't."

     "But it didn't turn you feral?"

     Hancock's cocky smirk returned to his face as he looked down at her, "Not anymore then I already am, sister."

     Abigail smile faded as she said, "I appreciate you saying that you'll go with me, Hancock. But even if you can survive the radiation, it's still going to be dangerous. I just..." She paused as her eyes became transfixed on the inky abyss of Hancock's black eyes. "I don't know why you are going to risk your life for someone you barely know."

     Hancock paused as he gazed into Abigail's eyes, finally he said, "It's just real rare these days, find someone who's not just willing to take things the way they are handed to them. Too many good folks not willing to get their hands dirty and too many assholes taking advantage of it. I used to feel like I was the only one that saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn't just pretend things were fine. Still feel that way... or I did."

     Hancock smile widened as he continued, "Until I met you. I know I run my mouth, but having someone who sees the world for what it is and is willing to do something about it. Well..."

     Hancock threw his arm around Abigail's shoulders, pulling her close so he could whisper in her ear, "I feel damn lucky to have you as a friend."

     Abigail laughed as she gave him a skeptical look, "And that's what we are? Friends?"

     "Well, now that you mention it..." Hancock nestled his face in her hair, his breath was warm on her neck and tickled her ear, "I have been having slightly more impure thoughts then usual. Maybe we'll get to..." He paused as he rested his forehead on hers, gazing into her eyes. He continued in a soft, raspy voice, "act on those."

     A moment that seemed to last for an eternity passed between them as their eyes stayed locked together. Abigail watched Hancock glance toward her lips, her heart raced as he began to lean closer. Their lips barely touched as the door to Abigail's room opened.


	8. Decision Made

     "You ever heard of knocking, boy scout?" Hancock could not disguise the annoyance in his voice as Preston and Nick walked into the room.

     Abigail smirked as she pushed Hancock's face away from her, "Preston, remember?"

     Preston glanced between them, as he tried to decipher what they had just interrupted. The synth behind him said, "I'm glad to see you are feeling better, doll. But we have some business to discuss."

     "Who's going with you to the Glowing Sea, General?" Preston piped in as he tried to pull Abigail's gaze away from Hancock.

     Abigail looked to the synth's glowing yellow eyes, "I'm sorry I freaked out on you guys. It's just after everything you've done to help me, Nick. I feared I had done something to cause permanent damage..."

     "Enough of that, Abigail. I'm fine, so you don't have to worry about this mug."

     A smile crossed Abigail's face as she turned to look at Preston, "To answer your question, Preston. Looks like Hancock is coming with me to the Glowing Sea."

     Hancock had an amused look as Preston stepped forward, "What? Why would you bring him?"

     "If something happens to me, Preston, someone is going to have to lead the Minuteman."

     "I would never let anything happen to you, Abigail, if you just let me come with you."

     "Preston, there's only one hazmat suit at Sanctuary..."

     "Even so," Preston cut in, "Why not take Nick? He's immune to radiation."

     "Nick has already done enough for me and my son. I can't ask him to do more."

     Preston opened his mouth to argue, but Abigail raised her hand to quiet him, "I appreciate you guys, both of you. You have helped me get closer to finding my son then I could have ever hoped to have done without you, but this is my decision. Hancock is coming with me."

     Silence filled the room. Until Nick said, "Well I wish you good luck, I hope you find your son. I'll be in Diamond City if you need me."

     "Do you need one of us to go with you?" Abigail asked as the synth made his way to the door.

     "Don't worry about me, just get your son back, alright?" He said with a smile as he walked out the door.

     Silence filled the room once more after the synth left. Growing tired of it, Abigail said, "We are leaving for Sanctuary first thing tomorrow morning. Hancock, if you are coming with us you might want to get your affairs in order before then."

     "Alright, sister. I just got to say a few words to my people and I'll met you outside the Statehouse tomorrow morning." Hancock got off from the bed and walked to the door, he smirked at Preston before looking back at Abigail, "Sweet dreams, sister."

     Preston watched Hancock close the door behind him before he went to sit next to Abigail on the bed. His head leaning back against the wall, he said, "I don't understand how you can trust him, General."

     "He doesn't pretend to be anything other than what he is." She glanced sideways at Preston, before saying, "You've said I've been a good judge of character in the past, just trust me."

     Preston closed his eyes, leaning further back, "I do trust you, General. I don't trust him. Look at this from my perspective, please. You have done so much good for the Commonwealth already. We need you now more than ever and I'm supposed to just let you wander off into the most radioactive place in the Commonwealth with a egotistical drug addict? I'm worried he would save himself over you in a heartbeat if it came to it. Please, General, I can't lose you."

     Abigail placed her hand on Preston's cheek, gently turning his head to face her. As he hesitantly looked at her, she said, "You don't have to feel guilty about this, Preston. I have to do this. You aren't letting me do anything, if something happens it will because of my mistakes, not yours."

     She could see the disappointment painted across his face as he opened his mouth to retort. She interrupted him, saying, "I know you would follow me in an instant, Preston, but we have to think of the Minutemen first. What would happen if something happened to the both of us? We can't let the Commonwealth slip back to old habits. So please, Preston, support me on this."

     Preston nodded his head reluctantly, Abigail wrapped her arms around him as she knelled next to him. She felt Preston's arms enclose around her as he said, "I just need you to come back."

     "I always do."


	9. Departure

     "Did you get yourself enough beauty sleep, boy scout?"

     Preston and Abigail looked up as they watched the ghoul exit the Statehouse, his two barreled shotgun resting on his shoulders. It was still early in Goodneighbor and there was little movement in the streets and alleyways as the sky was turning pink with anticipation of the rising sun.

     He glanced at Abigail before reluctantly saying, "Preston."

     "Hancock."

     "Good, now that we have the greetings out of the way."Abigail scooted herself between them, raising up her arm so they could both see the screen of her Pipboy. She pointed at the screen, "We are here..." Her fingers traced along the screen as she continued, "We should move Northwest until we reach this bridge, we'll follow the river until we reach Greygarden, where we will turn North and follow this road to Sanctuary." Her finger rested on the screen as Preston nodded his head. Hancock smirked as he wrapped his hand around her fingers, guiding them back along the screen to where they had first pointed out Goodneighbor.

     "Or..." He whispered into her ear, guiding her fingers along the screen, "We could move North crossing this bridge and passing Bunker Hill, keep moving North West along this road once we cut through Lexington, we would meet little resistance the rest of the way."

     Abigail smiled as she said, "We can't risk traveling that close to Bunker Hill, raiders run amok in that territory, plus the ferals have become increasingly more common in Lexington lately..."

     "We already cut out most of the path the other way, Hancock." Preston said with annoyance.

     "Just trying to contribute, boy scout." Hancock said as he held the door out of Goodneighbor open for Abigail. Glancing up and down at Hancock as the group walked out of Goodneighbor, Abigail asked, "You sure you packed enough gear, Hancock?"

     The ghoul smirked as he adjusted the shotgun on his shoulders, "I've got everything I could possibly need hidden away in this jacket, sister. If you don't believe me, I'll let you feel around in there." Hancock gave Abigail a wink as they continued walking through the ruins.

     The group remained quiet for most of the first day, only interrupted by Abigail occasionally checking her Pipboy and altering their direction. After many hours of walking, the group stopped on their path along the river. Spotting a fire escape on one of the surrounding buildings, Abigail pointed, "We'll rest there for the night."

     Both men nodded as they climbed their way to the roof of the building. Upon reaching the top, the group looked around at their surroundings. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, causing elongated shadows to stretch from the ruins' feet. Soft ripples formed on the surface of the river beneath them as a gentle breeze passed by. In the distance, a wrecked ship rested against a ruined bridge. Surveying their surroundings, Hancock asked, "You want me to gather some firewood, sister?"

     "What and let every raider in sight know exactly where we are?" Preston sneered as he began to unpacked supplies.

     Before Hancock could retort with a witty insult, he felt Abigail tap his leg. He looked down to see her staring down the scope of her laser musket, perched at the edge of the roof. He crouched down beside her, she seemed to be aiming at the wrecked ship in the distance.

     "Look, but don't shoot." She said as she handed him the musket. Abigail crouched behind him as she pointed ahead to a soft glow in the distance. Sure enough, when Hancock focused the sights, he could see a small fire burning on the wrecked ship, some raiders were huddled around it while others were pacing back on forth, another wearing Power Armor stood on a crate above them.

     "We've learned not to light fires at night." Abigail leaned over Hancock's shoulder to take back her laser musket, "Camping out on rooftops doesn't protect us from the elements, but it gives us an advantage if raiders do show up."

     Abigail leaned over Hancock, her chest brushing up against him as she whispered, "But if you do get cold, I'm sure Preston would love to snuggle with you."

     Hancock let out a small laugh, as the three gathered around each other. Preston took out a few strips of dried meat, keeping a few for himself before handing the rest to Abigail. She in turn took a handful and gave the rest to Hancock. Taking out a bottle of water from her own pack, she took a few sips before offering it to her companions. Abigail took a few bites of jerky, "It's not the best meal, but it keeps us under the radar when we are traveling. Best not to be caught off guard, right?"

     Hancock rested against the edge of the roof, asking, "I thought the Minutemen were clearing the Commonwealth of raiders, why don't we just jump them now while we have the advantage?"

    Abigail took another swig of water before saying, "There's a patrol nearby that's been watching them. When we do attack, we want to snuff them out completely. So there's little chance of retaliation."

    She rifled through her back, taking out a green lensed scope and attaching it to her laser musket, "I'll take first watch."

    "No disrespect, sister, but my ghoul eyes are sharper than a human's. Want me to take first watch?" Hancock gave her a smirk as he finished.

     "Really?" Abigail gave him a skeptical look.

     "Have I lied to you yet, sister?"

     She laughed as she handed him her musket, "Well alright then, Hancock. You'll be on first watch."

     The night passed by slowly as Hancock finished his watch, waking Preston with a soft kick and falling asleep next to Abigail. It was dusk when he awoke to the sound of a static radio. Hancock rolled over to see Abigail fiddling with her Pipboy, Preston looking over her shoulder with curiosity.

     A woman's voice broke through the static, "Automated message. This is Scribe Haylen of Reconnaissance Squad Gladius to any unit in transmission range. Authorization Arx. Ferrum. Nine. Five. Our unit has sustained casualties and we're running low on supplies. We're requesting support or evac from our position at Cambridge Police Station. Automated message repeating..."

     "What do you think, General?" Abigail turned her Pipboy off and looked up at Preston, "The Cambridge Police Station is on the way, we should at least check it out."

     "Hope you like fast food for breakfast, Mayor." Abigail smiled as she tossed a few more pieces of jerky at him before hustling down the fire escape. The group made good time, traveling north along a group of ruins.

     "It should be around this corner."Abigail said as she looked down at her Pipboy. Her head shot up as they heard gunfire nearby. Abigail began cranking her laser musket as the group rushed around the ruins to join the fire fight.

     The sound was coming from the entrance of the old police station, road blocks had been positioned around it. Dozens of feral ghouls growled, their bodies thrashing out in random movements as they surrounded a man in power armor, who was desperately firing at them with a laser rifle, unable to thin the horde.

     Abigail stepped forward, raising her laser musket. Thunder echoed through the surrounding ruins as she fired, her companions following suit.


	10. With Fists of Steel

     Hancock smiled as his shotgun fired. It had been too long since he had been in a fire fight and he had worried that being the mayor of Goodneighbor had made him soft. Breaking the barrel of his shotgun and reloading it, he snapped it back together and aimed at another feral charging at him.

     The sound of an engine starting broke his focus as he dropped another feral. Glancing over he saw Abigail crouching over a feral lying on the ground. Worried she had been injured he yelled out to her, "You alright, sister?"

     Abigail looked over her shoulder at him, her brown locks flowing in the wind under her tricorn hat, something wild was sparkling in her eyes as she smiled wickedly at him. That's when he noticed the blood spraying all around her. As Abigail stood, Hancock was able to see the weapon in her hands, a ripper. Abigail raised it as another feral ran at her, the miniature chainsaw cutting it's arm clean off, bringing the spinning blade down on it as the feral stumped to the ground. Preston's musket fired, dropping another feral across the small clearing they had made in front of the Cambridge Police Station. The fight didn't last long after that. The bloodied chain on Abigail's ripper slowed to a halt as she pulled it from a feral's limp body, the man in the power armor approached her, his weapon still drawn.

     In a stiff voice, he said, "We appreciate the assistance, civilian. But what's your business here?" He had a handsome face, with dark hair and a strong chin, a small scar above his left eye.

     Abigail grinned, her white teeth a harsh contrast to the crimson blood that had sprayed across her face, "Pest exterminator, I heard you had a feral problem."

     "A shame too, there were some real lookers in that group." Hancock said behind them, nudging one of the dead ferals with his boot.

     The man looked over Abigail's shoulder to Hancock, he frowned as he looked back to her, "Evading my question is a surefire way of getting ejected from the compound. Are you from a local settlement?"

     Abigail noticed a woman kneeling over an injured man next to the door of the police station, she opened her mouth to reply but Preston walked up to them, saying, "You're speaking to the General of the Minutemen."

     The man raised an eyebrow, "The Minutemen?"

     "We are rebuilding the Commonwealth..." Abigail held her hand up to quiet Preston, "Now you know who I am, who are you?"

     "And don't try and pull that 'just trust us' bull. That's raider talk." Abigail could hear Hancock say behind her as he examined another dead feral.

     The man's frown deepened as he watched Hancock, saying, "I'm Paladin Danse, Brotherhood of Steel." Motioning behind him, he continued, "Over there is Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys."

     Abigail had heard of the Brotherhood of Steel. Hell, she had seen their airship, announcing their arrival to the Commonwealth, fly over Kellogg's bunker after she had killed him, but she wanted definite answers, so she asked, "Who are the Brotherhood of Steel?"

     "Our order seeks to understand the nature of technology. It's power. And it's meaning to us as humans. And we fight to secure that power from those that would abuse it."

     Abigail felt her eyes narrow, "Sounds like a fancy word for looting."

     "Looting would imply that we do it to benefit ourselves. That is far from the case."

     "So that blimp doesn't benefit you?"

     "Our airship allows us to move troops and supplies to secure technology that would otherwise be abused, look around you. The very land around us proves man's irresponsibility with technology."

     Abigail could feel an anger begin to burn inside her. She paused to temper it before saying, "'Man is a dangerous creature, and that power, whether vested in the many or a few, is ever grasping, and like the grave cries, 'Give, give.'' Do you know who said that, Danse?"

     "No."

     "What you say sounds like a noble cause, but what's to keep you from becoming the very thing you are trying to prevent? Maybe if you confiscated more books instead of just weapons, you'd know the answer."

     "I'm not here to justify the Brotherhood's philosophy."

     Hancock, finished with looting the ferals, walked over to rejoin the group. Danse looked over with disgust before saying, "Keep away from me, you filthy ghoul."

     "Don't flatter yourself, crew cut. You ain't my type."

     Abigail stared at Danse in disbelief as she said, "Whoa, that's a fucked up way of saying thank you to someone who helped save your life."

     She could hear amusement in Hancock's voice, "The Brotherhood of Steel ain't real fond of ghouls. Course, the feelings mutual."

     The paladin said to Abigail as he continued to stare at Hancock, "Look, if you want to keep pitching in, we could use another gun on our side, but I'm not comfortable talking about classified operations in front of this _thing_."

     "This 'thing' is the mayor of Goodneighbor, and deserves your respect."

     "Ghouls, super mutants, synths.... these are all examples of technology gone awry. They all need to be put down."

     Abigail let out a sarcastic laugh, "So someone falls victim to technology and suddenly they represent the problem?" She paused as she looked behind her to her companions, locking eyes with Hancock.

     "Well... _Paladin_ Danse, I can't justify risking the Mayor of Goodneighbor's life for someone who would rather put a bullet in him then accept his help. Come on guys, we are heading out. These fools are on their own." Abigail said in disgust as she turned to leave.

    "It's not our job to bury you anyways. Seems like you are doing a fine job of that yourselves." Hancock chuckled as he followed Abigail out of the compound.

     Preston glanced uncomfortably behind him at the police station as they walked away, saying, "I don't like just leaving them there to die. We could have helped them."

     "Maybe, " Abigail said in a raised voice, turning her head toward the paladin, "if they live though the night, the next time a ghoul offers to help a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, they will offer a hand of gratitude instead of raising a fucking fist."


	11. A Bare Encounter

     "Up that hill is Greygarden."

     Hancock looked to where Abigail was pointing. The group had traveled North West along the river from Cambridge Police Station and had stopped near a bridge under a ruined freeway overpass. It was midday and the sun's rays beamed down on the thin vegetation dotting the landscape around them. The apocalyptic sky line of the ruined city of Boston was south of them across the river, while rolling hills laid north of them.

    "But first I need to make a small detour. This blood is really starting to smell."

     Hancock smirked at Abigail, she had dried blood all over her face and more of it caked onto her clothes. Abigail pointed to the bridge as she walked toward it, she said, "Last time we passed this spot a bathtub was.... here!" She pulled aside a tarp that had been hung under the bridge, revealing a large bathtub. Grabbing a bucket, Abigail said over her shoulder as she walked down to the river's edge, "Hey Hancock, you mind grabbing some firewood?"

     "What happened to 'no fires,' sister?"

     "If you want me to smell like this for the rest of the journey to Sanctuary, just say so." Abigail laughed as she filled her bucket and carried it over to the tub.

     "I wouldn't dream of it." Hancock said as he began riffling around for firewood. Preston had climbed onto the bridge above them and was surveying the landscape. Hancock huffed as he dropped a pile of firewood at the edge of the porcelain tub. Abigail returned with another bucket of water, setting it next to the firewood. She crouched down as she began positioning wood under the bathtub.

     "You know, sister. If you need someone to keep you warm in there, all you have to do is ask nicely." Hancock said in a playful voice, Abigail laughed as she took out a flip lighter and a bar of soap from her pack.

     "I think I can manage." Abigail gave him a satisfied smirk as a flame grew from under the tub. She took off her leather jacket and set it on a rock next to her. Standing up to look at him, she said. "Now if you don't mind, Mayor. A little privacy would be nice."

     Hancock gave her a final glance, watching her scrub her jacket with the bar of soap, before letting the tarp flap behind him, looking up he could see smoke rising behind the makeshift curtain and gathering at the bottom of the bridge, before it escaped up into the sky. Walking up to Preston, Hancock asked, "Should we be worried about raiders?"

     Preston hardly looked at him as he answered, "We drove most of the raiders out of these parts, but we have a number a settlements in this area. If we do get into trouble, back up isn't too far away."

     A few moments passed before Preston spotted something in the distance. He raised his laser musket, focusing down the sights. Curious, Hancock asked, "What do you see?"

     "Raiders." Preston said as he lowered his musket and starting to rifle through his pack, pulling out a flare gun. A soft pop went off as Preston shot off a flare above them, "General! We got company!"

     Another flare went off in the distance, Preston rested his laser musket on the edge of the bridge. Raiders began flooding over the hill, charging toward them, Preston's musket letting off a thunderous blast each time he fired. But not fast enough to drop all of them as they ran to the base of the bridge.

     "I don't know what you are waiting for Hancock, but you better get your ass down there." Preston yelled to him between shots.

     "Watch your mouth, boy scout." Hancock said with a smirk as he jumped off the edge and landed under the bridge. The sight he saw, left him speechless. There was Abigail, wielding her prized laser musket, completely naked except for her tricorn hat.

     While the sunshine illuminated her fair skin, Abigail cranked her musket and fired a beam into a charging raider. Hancock's gaze followed her wet brown locks clinging to her back, down her soft curves to her slender legs.

     Abigail paused as she turned her gaze to meet his, stunned Hancock said, "Whoa, emperor, love the new clothes."

     More laser muskets fired around them as more Minutemen joined the fire fight, causing the few raiders that were left to retreat. Abigail could feel her cheeks flush as Hancock took off his flock and threw it around her shoulders, whispering, "Let them stare."

     "General, are you alright?" Preston said as he climbed down the bridge. Seeing her in nothing but her hat and Hancock's red flock, he said in an irritated voice, "If you're finished gawking..." Preston glared at Hancock as he pulled his arm around her protectively, guiding her back behind the tarp.

     "Was that the General?" Hancock could hear the other Minutemen behind him whisper to each other as their eyes followed Abigail and Preston.

     "I heard that the leaders from before the war sent her here in a time machine to rebuild the Commonwealth."

     "That's impossible!"

     "That's what I heard! I also heard that people before the war were immune to radiation."

     "That's stupid, why are there prewar ghouls then?"

     "Besides I heard she was apart of a secret super soldier experiment from before the war and that's why she can't fall in battle."

     "That explains why Moe in Diamond city says he's sure she used to be a famous baseball player!"

     Their whispers fell silent as Preston reemerged from behind the curtain, "Thanks for your quick response Minutemen. We need to increase patrols in this area until we are sure we have fully flushed them out and let the other settlements in the area know to be on high alert until these raiders are dealt with."

     "Yes sir!" They responded as the group slipt into two. One group of Minutemen ran after the raiders, while the other hurried off in the other direction.

     Hancock raised his shotgun to rest on his shoulders as he walked up to Preston, "You know there are a lot of rumors among them about Abigail's past, right?"

     "She'll tell them when she's ready."


	12. Wash Away my Worries

     "Any chance I can get my jacket back, sister?"

     Abigail could hear Hancock's raspy voice on the other side of the tarp. She sank lower into the tub, submerging half her face. Blowing a few bubbles before saying, "Just come in, Hancock. It's not like you haven't already seen it."

     "Don't have to tell me twice." Hancock said with a smirk as he pulled back the curtain. He could see Abigail, through a cloud of steam and smoke, in the tub facing him, her cheeks still flushed. Her freshly washed clothes were drying on a rock beside her, his red flock among them.

     Moving to grab his jacket, Hancock gave her a cocky smirk, "You know, you should think about going into every firefight like that. Had me shell shocked for a sec there."

     "Don't remind me." She said before dipping halfway back under the water, her sigh turning into more bubbles.

     "Something wrong, sister?" Hancock looked at her with curiosity as he took a seat on the rock beside the porcelain tub, pulling out a case of Mentats from one of his jacket's many pockets.

     "Other then a dozen of my men seeing their general completely naked?"

     "You had your hat on." Hancock chuckled as he popped a Mentat into his mouth. Tucking the case back in his pocket, he took a few pieces of firewood and began stoking the fire beneath the tub.

     "Oh that's right, the one thing that made me identifiable to them was the only article of clothing on my entire body. Without it, I could have passed as another wandering lunatic and saved myself the embarrassment."

     "You know what they say about you, right?"

     "Preston has told me a few things."

     "Then you know they idolize you, right? They think you're immortal."

     Abigail gave him a skeptical look, before saying, "You know there was another general back before the war whose men thought he was bulletproof."

     "Back in you time?"

     She let out a soft laugh, "No, he lived and died hundreds of years before I was born. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure he was friends with the original John Hancock."

     "Really? A great general friends with America's first hoodlum?"

     Abigail felt her eyes narrow as she continued, "They called him indestructible. At the Battle of Monongahela, years before the United States was founded, enemies ambushed British forces driving them into chaos as they tried to retreat, the 'Great White General' rode his horse back and forth across the battlefield, organizing their retreat. Two horses were shot out from beneath him and when the retreat was over he had four musket holes in his jacket and bullet fragments in his hair. He later went on to become the General of the Continental Army and our first president. But at that battle, he was technically a volunteer. That's part of the reason I joined the Minutemen. I'm hoping history will repeat itself."

     Abigail leaned her head against the edge of the tub, her long locks shielding her bare chest. She closed her eyes and said in a soft voice, "But he was a great man, highly educated and wise in battle prowess. I fear if I speak to my men that they will see me for what I am: a fraud."

     "You telling me you didn't have to be educated to be a lawyer?"

     A soft chuckle met his ears as Abigail answer, "Of course I was educated, but that's not enough. I was married to a soldier, Hancock. They can tell when someone's not of their own. They don't look up to bureaucrats."

     Hancock paused from stoking the fire, his eyes focused on Abigail, "You are the furthest thing from a bureaucrat, sister. I would know."

     Abigail cocked her head, curiosity in her voice, "How so, Mayor?"

     "I told you I was from Diamond City, right?" Hancock continued when Abigail shook her head, "Back before McDonough took over, it used to be a half-decent place to live. A little stricter then I usually go for, but not terrible. I thought he and I had a pretty happy childhood. But then he decides he's gonna try and get elected with his anti-Ghoul crusade - 'Mankind for McDonough.' Before ya know it, you got families with kids lining up to drag folks they called 'neighbor' out of their homes and throw 'em to the ruins."

    "You and McDonough knew each other as kids?"

     "Oh yeah, guy's my brother. Grew up together in a little shack on the waterfront. Guy was the standard big brother - entitled, punchy, liked to shove rotten tatoes down my shirt and slap my back. But I never thought he'd be capable of something like what they did to those Ghouls."

     "How could they do something like that?"

     "There'd always been a pretty big gulf between the folks living in the stands and folks down on the field. McDonough ran on it because he thought enough of those Upper Stands assholes would vote for him. Guess he was right."

     Hancock paused before he continued, "I remember storming into his office above the stands after the inauguration speech. He was just standing there, staring out the window, watching as the city turned on the Ghouls. He didn't even look at me, just said, 'I did it, John. It's finally mine.' Should have killed him right there, but I don't think it would have changed anything. Instead I pleaded with him, begged him to call it off. He said he couldn't. He had nothing against the Ghouls. He was just carrying out the will of the people. And he couldn't betray the voters. And then he smiled. That hideous, fucking mile-long smile. He never smiled like that when we were kids. I didn't even recognize him... That, sister, is a fucking bureaucrat."

     Abigail pulled her hand out of the water and rested it on Hancock's knee, their eyes locked before she asked, "What happened next?"

     Hancock looked down at her hand, lacing his fingers into hers, he said, "I needed to get the hell away from him. Him and that whole damned city. I still wasn't a Ghoul at this point, so I didn't have to leave, but I couldn't bring myself to stay in that cesspool after that. I'd been sneakin' off to Goodneighbor for years to get decent chems, so I knew the safe routes. I managed to track down a couple of the families, lead 'em there, but most couldn't get used to the Goodneighbor lifestyle. I brought them food for a couple of weeks, but after a while, they just disappeared. Folks in Diamond City signed their death warrants and all the good people were willing to just sit by and watch."

     Hancock turned Abigail's hand over in his, watching the steaming drops of water cascading down her skin. He felt her hand squeeze his as she said, "Thanks for telling me, Hancock."

     "Don't go off worrying about something you have no chance of becoming, sister. You already proved that with the tin can earlier today."

     "Who? Paladin Dense? That guy was a royal prick."

     "He missed one hell of a show though. Any speeches you plan on doing in the future you should consider using the same wardrobe. It would inspire the hell out of me, sister." Hancock said with a chuckle.

     Abigail laughed as she splashed him, "Get out, Hancock."

    "Alright, alright."

     As Hancock turned to leave he saw a soft smile cross Abigail lips. Pausing before he left, he asked with curiosity, "What?"

    "I was embarrassed about my bare-assed-ment." Abigail said as she set into a fit of giggles. Hancock smiled as he pulled back the tarp and walked outside.


	13. Home Sweet Home

     "Welcome to Sanctuary, Mayor."

     Abigail gave Hancock a soft nudge with her arm as they crossed the bridge to Sanctuary, the sun was setting on the horizon, giving the clouds overhead a soft glow. The turrets lining the bridge made a soft mechanical purr as they passed. Walking up the street, they could see a few settlers were still hammering on the ruined houses, while another was tinkering on a mechanical windmill on one of the roofs.

     Abigail turned to one of the houses, a man in overalls and mechanic's belt was tinkering at the base of T-45 power armor under the house's overhang, a German Shepherd was curled up beside him. The dog raised his head as the group approached. Giving a playful bark, the dog got up to greet Abigail.

     "Hey Dogmeat!" Abigail said as she scratched behind his ears. Dogmeat gave another bark, tail wagging. The man next to the power armor looked up at sound of Dogmeat's bark, revealing his slicked back hair and a pair of welding goggles hanging around his neck, nodding to Abigail and Preston, he said,"Bout time you two showed up."

     Abigail looked up from Dogmeat, a soft smile on her lips, "Hit some delays in Goodneighbor. Is Mama Murphy around, Sturges?"

     "Last I saw she was inside." Sturges motioned to the house, before turning his attention back to the power armor. Preston moved to watch Sturges, while Abigail and Hancock turned to walk into the house. Abigail stopped in her tracks when two large heads blocked the doorway.

     The brahmin let out a loud moo as it stared at Abigail. She could hear a women squawk from inside the house, "JUN! You left the door open again!" The brahmin turned one of its faces to moo at Marcy as she tried to shove the animal outside, hissing, "Move you stupid animal!"

      Another small head poked out from under the large mutated cow.

     "Aww! Buttercup had her calf!" Abigail cooed as she knelled down to pet the baby brahmin. She let out a soft laugh as Marcy continued to try to shove Buttercup outside. Turning her attention back to the baby brahmin, "What do you think? Should we help her out?" Abigail asked it as she gently guided the calf out from under it's mother. Buttercup made a concerned moo as she watched Abigail lead her baby away, squeezing her way through the doorway and out of the house.

     "And stay out!" Marcy screeched as she chased the pair of brahmin from under the house's overhang. Abigail continued to chuckle as she walked into the house, an old woman in a blue fortune teller's outfit was nestled into a green chair in the corner, her eyes were closed as she listened to the music coming from an old radio on an end table beside her. As Abigail and Hancock approached her, her eyes shot open.

     Staring at Abigail, she said, "You need the Sight, kid? It's telling me Mentats will give us the right high for another insight into your destiny."

    Abigail raised an eyebrow, "So it's Mentats this time?"

    Mama Murphy smiled as she replied, "They're good. More of a chem for scientists and tech types. But who's to say Mama Murphy ain't a closet genius?"

     Abigail could hear Hancock laugh behind her, turning to face him, she pointed out the window. The sun was barely visible in the distance, the last of its light shining on a field of crops outside of the house, a food stand sat against another house adjacent to them, "Mind grabbing something for us to eat and meeting me at my house?"

     Hancock gave Abigail a skeptical look, "Hey if she wants Ment..."

    Abigail cut him off as she leaned in closer to him, whispering "Yeah, I've seen the kind of high you get from yours and I would be insane to give those to her. I don't want her baked out of her mind, Preston would have my head. I'll make her something more mild."

    Turning on her heels, Abigail walked out of the room. Dogmeat trotting behind her.


	14. Thank You Gift

    "Well shit..."

    Hancock turned in place, eyeing the houses around him, two cups of noodles in his hands. It was dark now, and the only light on the street was coming from the windows of the ruined houses. He had been on his way to Abigail's house, but hadn't been given instructions on how to get there. Not that it would have mattered much, all the damn houses looked identical anyways.

    "Hey sister..." Hancock said to a passing settler. She turned abruptly to glare at him, her dark eyes squinting at him, "Who the hell are you? I've never seen you before. I told that women to keep her mouth shut about this place. Now all sorts of strangers just show up like they own the place."

     Hancock recognized her voice from earlier that day, taken aback from her sudden outburst, he said, "Uh Marcy, right? I was just looking for Abigail's house."

    "Who?"

    "The General. Where is her house?"

     Marcy let out an exasperated sigh, pointing behind him, "It's the one with the robot. Now leave me alone."

     Hancock turned to follow the direction Marcy had pointed, sure enough a few houses down a Mr. Handy was pruning hedges. Walking up to it, Hancock could hear it's circuits whirl as it said, "Well good evening sir! I'm so sorry to say that my mistress isn't receiving visitors. Please try again tomorrow."

     Hancock smirked as he watched the robot, "Tell her the mayor is here to see her."

     The Mr. Handy stopped it's task, turning so all three of its eyes were focused on him, in a surprised voice it said, "The mayor! Oh excuse me sir! I will inform my mistress at once!"

     The robot's mechanical hum grew louder as it hovered away, turning the doorknob with one of its arms. It called out, "Ms. Abigail! The mayor is here to see you! Shall I let him in?"

     Hancock could hear Abigail call back, "Yes, send him in! Thank you, Codsworth!"

    "It has truly been too long since the mayor has payed my mistress a visit! Shall I get you a cup of tea, sir? Perhaps something a bit stronger? I remember your predecessor had quite a fine taste for brandy..."

      Hancock followed Codsworth into the house. It was mostly empty save for a red sofa placed near the front windows and a few bar stools lined a counter. The robot floated behind the counter and began sorting through the glasses.

     "Two glasses of whiskey, if you have it."

     "Excellent choice, sir! I'll have your drinks along shortly. Ms Abigail should be in one of the back rooms."

      Hancock set the noodles on the counter before walking down the hallway, finding Abigail in a small side room. She was wearing a gas mask as she bent over a chem station, tinkering with various beakers. Dogmeat was curled up in a ball at her feet. He leaned on the wall behind her as he watched her, "I'd offer to help but I'm not supposed to operate heavy machinery."

     He could hear Abigail's muffled laugh as she adjusted a burner before setting a blue liquid above it. Hancock watched her tinker away before he asked, "So where did you learn to cook, sister? Was this common practice before the war?"

     Abigail turned her burner off as she removed her gas mask, turning to face Hancock she said with a smirk, "I had never even seen a chem until I got here. Had this guy in Diamond City ask me to rough up some guy his wife was sleeping with, one thing leads to another, next thing I know I am shooting up one of Marowshi's chem labs. Let's just say there was a lot of reading material in there and plenty of stuff to experiment with."

    "Ms Abigail! Mr Mayor! Your food is getting cold!" Codsworth called out from the kitchen. Abigail and Hancock made their way to the counter where their noodles and whiskey were waiting for them.

    "Thank you, Codsworth." Abigail said as she took a seat next to Hancock.

     "Proud to serve, Mum!" Codsworth said, before zooming outside to continue his chores. Abigail glanced over to see Hancock staring at her, a grin crossing his face.

     "So you weren't kidding when you said I wasn't the first mayor you had had drinks with."

     Abigail laughed, "Smart move, telling Codsworth you were the mayor."

    Hancock glanced around the house, "Nice house, butler robot, drinks with the mayor, you must have been one hell of a lawyer, sister."

    Abigail stared into her noodles, "Yeah I guess I was, but I suppose that doesn't really matter now, does it?"

    Hancock took a bite of noodles, "Hey, still get drinks with the mayor, remember? What the hell are in these, sister?"

    Abigail laughed as she took another bite, "Good aren't they? It's an old family recipe, I just had to sub the wheat flour for razorgrain. But the process is similar."

    They ate and drank in silence until Codsworth returned for a moment to refill their drinks, before hovering off again. When they had finished Abigail glanced over at Hancock, "I have a thank you gift for you."

    Hancock cocked what should have been his eyebrow, "Is that so?"

    Abigail stood up to take a small tin out of her back pocket, she tossed it to Hancock as she carried her drink over to the sofa, "I've been experimenting with some Mentat recipes, thought of you when I made those."

    Hancock opened the tin as he took a seat beside her, an array of purple pills sat inside. He took one out to examine it, "What kind of Mentats are these, sister?"

    Abigail perched her elbow on the back of the sofa to face him, "Let's just call them... Berry Mentats."

    "Sounds good to me." Hancock said as he popped a pill into his mouth, he held out the tin to Abigail, "You coming with me this time, sister?"

    Her laugh sounded musical before she said, "Don't get high on your own supply."

    Hancock gave her a baffled look before she said, "It's a stupid quote from a movie..."

    Abigail voice trailed off as a fog began to set into Hancock's mind, sounds became muffled and colors amplified. His gaze became transfixed on Abigail as a soft yellow glow appeared around her, "I think I can see your aura, sister."

    The sound of Abigail's muffled laugh made his heart race as he could barely hear her reply, "I hope the color of my aura is blue."

    Hancock reached his hand out to touch her, his own hand emitting a purplish glow. As his hand caressed her cheek, he whispered, "It's beautiful..."

    He could feel her touch on his skin, pushing him back into the sofa as her yellow glow consumed his vision. Abigail's muffled voice was becoming impossible to understand. _Why are you here?_ Had she really said that? Or had he just imagined it? Thoughts drifted through his mind as he stared, dazed at the array of colors around him. He had left Goodneighbor to follow her, yes. But why? Just to get in touch with his wild side? To sharpen his skills? Hancock knew he admired Abigail's strength, her wit, but that wasn't all of it. Flirting was second nature to him, but were there feelings behind them? _Maybe_. Hancock felt a calmness unlike anything he had ever felt before. Until suddenly he felt like he was falling, sinking into the sofa. Different colors began swirling around him before they all vanished, leaving him in darkness.

    Hancock gasped as he awoke from his slumber. He looked around him as he sat up on the sofa, morning light was seeping in from the window. That's when he noticed the throbbing pain in his head. Raising his hand to his forehead, he called out, "Abigail?"

    "Morning sir!" Codsworth said as he whirled into view. He set a tray on the coffee table beside Hancock as he continued, "My mistress was worried you might wake a bit iffy... So I have prepared for you a Radscorpion Omelette! The perfect meal for anyone suffering from the... Irish flu as they say!"

    Hancock gave the robot a blank stare before glancing down at the food placed before him, his thoughts still sorting through his hangover, "So where is Abigail?"


	15. Nate

     The elevator came to an abrupt halt as it reached the bottom of Vault 111. The rattle from the cage door echoed as it was lifted out of Hancock's way. His eyes squinted at the harsh light around the vault door as he made his way inside. Hancock knew Abigail wanted to be alone, but after hours of waiting he just had to see her, to make sure she was alright. He wondered down the empty hallways, hearing nothing but the echoes of his own footsteps, until he heard the sound of muffled voices. Confused, he followed them. The voices growing louder and louder as he neared the end of another hallway.

     Hancock could hear the coo of a baby as he entered a large chamber with strange pods lining the aisle. Hancock recognized it from Kellogg's memories. He could see Abigail leaning against one of them, her back to him, staring into one of the pods. Her fingers were resting on her Pipboy.

    "I don't think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a mother you are. But, we're going to anyway. You are kind, and loving, and funny, that's right, and patient. So patient, patience of a saint as your mother used to say."

     Shaun's coos and giggles continued to echo through the chamber, Abigail remained as still as stone, staring into the pod as the recording continued, "Look, with Shaun and us all being home together it's been an amazing year but even so I know our best days are yet to come. There will be changes sure, things we'll need to adjust to. I'll rejoin the civilian workforce, you'll shake the dust off your law degree. But everything we do no matter how hard, we do it for our family. Now say goodbye Shaun. Bye bye, say bye bye."

     Hancock didn't know what the hell he was thinking when he came down here, he felt like he was interrupting something intimate, but he couldn't seem to walk away. All he could do was stare at Abigail listening to her holotape, "Bye honey, we love you."

     An eerie silence filled the chamber as the recording finished only broken by an occasional drop of water, Abigail still stared unmoving into the pod. Lifting her hand to rest on the lid, Hancock could barely hear her whisper, "If only we had known..."

     She didn't move after that. It was as if she had become a statue with her head leaning against the pod. Hancock didn't know what he should do. Would she notice him if he left? Should he say something? Unable to make up his mind, he just continued to stare at her.

     "Didn't your mother teach you it's rude to stare, Hancock?"

      Hancock blinked as her words broke him from his trance. She didn't move to greet him, just continued to stare as if she was talking to herself rather than him. Hancock walked up behind her and looked into the pod. He could see Nate's corpse inside, perfectly preserved. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought Nate was sleeping.

     He shifted his weight nervously, awkwardly saying, "Hey... if you wanna get out of here..."

    "I walked all the way down here, this is clearly where I want to be." Her words were emotionless, her body so still Hancock wasn't even sure she had really spoken at all. He moved his gaze from Nate to Abigail, her brown hair flowing down her back and around her arm that had fallen limply to her side. Her skin was cold to the touch as he moved to wrap his arms around her. The air felt stiff around them. He needed to say something. He needed to make her feel better.

    "What was he like?"

     There was a silence before Abigail spoke, "We lived next door to each other as kids in a small town. We were best friends growing up. Honestly, I think our moms had our wedding already planned out when we were still in diapers. We started dating in high school. He was so handsome. Gentle. Kind. I thought I was the luckiest girl. I had good grades and an amazing boyfriend, my parents were so proud..."

     She paused before continuing, "Most people who were born there never left that town, but we both had big dreams. I applied for law school and he went into the military, he thought it was the best way out..."

     Remaining motionless she said, "I honestly thought I was more prepared for this."

    "How do you figure that, sister?"

    "We got married while he was still in, I knew what I was getting myself into. But I loved him. Every time the phone rang, I thought I was going to get the call that something had happened to him. Whenever the doorbell rang, I was consumed with dread, worried that it was one of his comrades coming to tell me that he had been killed. The only thing that could take my mind off it was my work. When he finally got out, I thought I could finally stop worrying. That last year we spent together was the happiest time of my life..."

     Abigail turned to look up at Hancock, her eyes were red from crying, her shoulders sagged as if they held the weight of the world. She looked exhausted, Hancock moved his hands to warm her arms as she said, "But the war followed him. And here I am, staring at my husband's corpse. My son is God-knows-where. How the hell did I get here?"

     They stared at each other in silence. Hancock knew there were no words that could possibly make her feel better. But he wished for a way to take some of her burden away. Lost for words, he pulled her into him as he hugged her. Hancock could feel the last of Abigail's tears seep into his jacket.

    "You alright, General?"

     Abigail slowly pulled herself out of Hancock's grasp. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she gave Nate a final glance before walking out of the vault. She paused as she passed Preston in the hall, she gave him a weak smile, her hand moving to give his arm a gentle squeeze before answering, "I will be."

     Hancock watched Abigail leave before looking at Preston. The minuteman's face was emotionless as he returned Hancock's stare, before following Abigail out of the vault.


	16. We Need to Talk

     "We need to talk. Now."

     Hancock paused on the ledge outside of Vault 111, he could see Abigail further down the hill walking back to her house at Sanctuary Hills. He took out a pack of cigarettes from one of his pockets, tapping one into his palm as he turned to face Preston.

     "Make it quick, boy scout." He said, cupping his hand over his mouth as he lit his cigarette.

      Preston paused before he answered, he turned his head to watch Abigail walk away, "I know you probably don't care, but I was the one who asked Abigail to be general." Preston's gaze followed her until she disappeared behind the ruined houses lining the street.

     "This should be good." Hancock chuckled as he took a drag from his cigarette.

     Preston adjusted his militia hat irritably before looking back at Hancock, replying, "Look I'm just going to be straight with you, all I'm asking for is a little more consideration, alright? Think about the consequences of your actions and how they might affect her."

    Hancock stared at Preston as he exhaled a puff of smoke. Cocking his head as he said, "Is that so?"

    Preston stared off in the direction Abigail had gone, "She's different from anyone else I've come across. She really cares about other people. I've seen her risk her life more than once to help people just because it was the right thing to do. She's making a difference."

     Preston paused as he shifted his weight. Looking back at Hancock, he continued, "I don't expect you to be a saint, because we both know you're not. But people look up to the Minutemen. People look up to _her_. She has a vision for the Commonwealth and she inspires them. And when people get inspired, they can solve any problem. The Commonwealth needs her."

     "You need her."

     Preston narrowed his eyes at the smug look on Hancock's face, "Excuse me?"

     "You're in love with her."

     Preston rolled his eyes before he scuffed at Hancock, "Even if I was, at least I have the decency to respect a grieving widow."

    Hancock chuckled as he took another drag, holding his breath before emitting a cloud of smoke, "Would you believe me if I told you she inspires me too?"

    There was a pause between them as Preston gave Hancock a skeptical look, "No."

    "Well lucky for me, I don't have to convince you. Only her." Hancock chuckled as he dropped his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with his boot, "I'm not risking my neck for some easy tail, boy scout. But I sure don't mind watching it."

    Hancock threw his hands behind his head as he strolled past Preston, giving him another smirk before following Abigail down to Sanctuary.


	17. Visions

     "Ah, that's it... I can feel the Sight opening up..."

     Hancock and Preston had found Abigail in Mama Murphy's house. The old women laid back in her chair, eyes closed. Abigail was kneeling on the floor in front of her, watching Mama Murphy intently.

     Mama Murphy's voice filled the room, "You're walking into a sea, but it's not water you're afraid of drownin' in. It's something... invisible... but... radiant. It burns everything in it, but... no... I can feel them. There's people. Calling out to something. Chanting. They can show you the way... but... they're so hard to read... Be careful around them, kid."

     Mama Murphy gasped for air, her hand clutching her heart. "I... need some rest..."

     "General. Can I have a word?"

     Abigail put her hand on Mama Murphy's knee, whispering "Thank you." Before turning to walk out the door, Preston and Hancock close behind her. As soon as they were out of earshot, Preston grabbed Abigail's arm, forcing her to face him.

     "What were you thinking? Giving those to her?"

     "I'm sorry, Preston. I didn't want to go in blind. If there was any other way..."

     Preston's voice jarred her as he pulled her closer to him, "How are you going to justify all the things you did to find your son if you have to kill people to do it?"

     "Back off, boy scout..."

     Abigail held her hand up to Hancock as he went to step between her and Preston.

     "It's alright, Hancock. Do you mind giving us a moment?" Her voice was calming, even in all the tension. Hancock didn't move as his gaze moved between them.

     "She said leave." Preston's voice was cold as he continued to glare at Hancock.

     "Please, Hancock. I'll meet you at my house."

     Abigail could see the turmoil in Hancock's eyes. His gaze continued to move between them until he finally turned around and walked back to the house. Turning her gaze back to Preston, she said, "I knew it was a risk, but Preston you have to know I wouldn't put Mama Murphy's life in danger on a whim."

     Preston didn't look at her as he watched Hancock walk away, with a low voice he told her, "He's a bad influence, Abigail. I fear he's turning you into something your not."

     "Preston..." Abigail moved her hand to rest on his. She could feel his grip on her loosen as he looked down at her. Staring up at him, she said, "The Sight has saved our lives before, and I know, whether Hancock was here or not, we would have used it now too."

     Preston let go of her arm as he intertwined his fingers in hers. He moved his focus to their interlocked hands, the anger in his eyes melted away as he said, "I'm so sorry, Abigail. Did I hurt you?"

     He moved his other hand to touch the spot on her arm where he had grabbed her. Abigail slowly brought her hand to meet his, pulling his attention back to her face as she gave him a soft smile, "I know you only do it because you care about me, Preston. After everything that has happened, it would be so easy for me to lose who I am. But finding my son gives me purpose. Being general of the Minutemen gives me purpose. And you keep me from getting lost along the way..."

     Their eyes locked as her last words were only a whisper, "Thank you, Preston."

     Preston let out a sigh as he lifted their interlocked hands, "Are you leaving in the morning?"

     "Yes."

     "And there's nothing I can do to convince you to take me with you?"

     "I'm sorry, Preston. But my decision is final."

     Preston let out another sigh as he pulled her into him. As he enclosed his arms around her, he whispered in her ear, "Just promise to come back."

     Abigail let herself relax in his embrace, she rested her head on his chest as she whispered back, "I promise."

     "I'll let you get some rest then, General."

     Preston released her from his grasp, giving her a last glance before turning to walk away. Abigail watched him leave before turning to walk back to her house. She found Hancock leaning in the doorway, a strange look on his face. She gave him a playful smirk before saying, "You gonna let me into my own house, mayor?"

     The look on Hancock's face was replaced by his usual cocky grin. Standing aside to let Abigail pass, he asked, "Everything alright with the boy scout, sister?"

     She made a soft laugh as she said, "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, mayor. But I do find it so moving that a great mayor such as yourself would take interest in little ol' me."

     He paused a moment, a look of concern crossing his face, before saying, "I'm serious, Abigail. Is everything alright?"

     "And as I already told you, it's nothing you need to worry about." Abigail turned around, the smile dropped from her lips as she saw the seriousness in Hancock's eyes. She took off her tricorn hat with a sigh and tossed it on the sofa, running her fingers through her hair, Abigail said, "Look, I know Preston can come off... a little intense. But it's only because he doesn't want the Minutemen to fall apart again-"

    "That's a lot of pressure to put on you though. Isn't it, General?"

     "Hancock..."

     "I just think it's a little hypocritical of the boy scout. He'll sit back and judge your tactics, but won't take on the stress of being in charge. I'm a leader too, Abigail. I would know."

     Abigail paused as she sat next to her hat on the sofa. Resting her head in her hands, she asked, "And what would you have me do? Great Mayor of Goodneighbor?"

     "It's easy to sit back and judge, it's hard to put yourself out there and lead. There's always going to be someone that thinks they can do it better." Hancock sat next to her on the sofa, pulling Abigail into him as he continued, "Just know that you're amazing just the way you are."

     Abigail let out an exasperated sigh as she turned her head to look up at Hancock, giving him a skeptical look. Hancock gave her a laugh before saying, "I wouldn't be here otherwise, sister."

     She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment of silence, Abigail said, "I made you something."

     Abigail felt her insides warm as Hancock gave her a cocky grin, "And when did you find time for that, sister?"

     "While you were on your trip yesterday." Abigail laughed as she moved to grab something from behind the door, "I've only seen a handful of people high, but none of them are as amusing to watch as you."

     Pulling out a rifle from behind the door, Abigail walked back over to Hancock, "It's a modified combat shotgun, figured you needed something that could fire more than two rounds at a time." Her nimble fingers traced along the shotgun as she pointed out the various components that she had customized, "I switched out its stock with a more recoil compensating one and fitted it with a muzzle break. It also has a quick eject drum mag and my personal favorite... an advanced receiver so your shots will have a little more _umph_."

     Hancock stared at it as she held it out to him, when he didn't say anything she smiled, saying, "Go on, it's not loaded. Let me know how it feels."

     Hancock hesitated before he took it from her, holding it up against his shoulder as he aimed down the sights, his raspy voice was low, "Fits like a damn glove, sister. But I can't accept this..." He said as he held it out to her.

     Abigail shifted her weight onto her back leg. Crossing her arms with a smirk, she asked, "And why not, mayor? Afraid it might have too much kick for you?"

     Abigail let out a sigh when he didn't respond. She moved closer to him, pushing the shotgun aside so she could stand under him. In a soft whisper, she said, "You are coming with me to the most dangerous place in the Commonwealth, for reasons I don't think I fully understand..." Their eyes locked together as a moment of silence passed between them, Abigail searching for answers in the black abyss of Hancock's eyes. She moved her hand to Hancock's cheek, her soft fingers traced along his rough skin. "The least I could do is give you a piece of myself, even if it's only a shotgun."

     Hancock held her gaze as he hesitated, it's true he did want a piece of her. But he wasn't sure she was ready to give that part of herself to him, not yet. A smirk crossed his lips as he looked down at the shotgun, "If you insist, sister. I can't wait to blow some holes with this beast."

     Abigail let out a soft laugh as she said, "That's the plan. Just know I appreciate what you are doing for me."

     "I appreciate you too, sister."

     Abigail raised a skeptical brow at him, "Oh yeah? For what? Dragging you away from Goodneighbor? Putting your life at risk? You really must have been getting bored of being mayor if you are actually thanking me."

     Hancock's laugh was rough, he wrapped one arm around her as he pulled her close. Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered, "You inspire me."

     His voice sent a shiver down Abigail's spine, his breath felt hot against her skin. Shell shocked she weakly responded, "What?"

     "You heard me, sister." Hancock held her gaze for a moment, before releasing her and walking over to the sofa. As he laid out on it, he propped his tricorn hat over his eyes, with a smirk he said, "Get some sleep, sister. It's a long walk to the Glowing Sea."


	18. Battle of the Freeway Overpass

     "What do you see, sister?"

     Abigail could feel Hancock leaning over her as she stared down the sights of her laser musket. They had left Sanctuary early that morning, heading due South toward the Glowing Sea. They had paused behind some rocks at the top of a small hill about hundred yards from the base of a ruined freeway overpass. It stretched out in either direction in front of them, with an off ramp planted in the ground near it's base. Gunners dotted the overpass, with a few stationed near the off ramp.

     "Looks like we have maybe twenty Gunners up there."

     "What's the plan, sister?"

     "That overpass goes on for miles in both directions, so if we go around it's going to make a huge detour. Blasting our way through isn't the best option either, we are way outnumbered. Matter of fact, it's a miracle they haven't spotted us already..."

     As if on cue the Gunners on top of the overpass started scurrying about, a few taking aim off the ledge, showering the rocks around them with an array of laser beams.

    "Well shit... I guess they made the decision for us..." Abigail rifled through her bag, pulling out a flare gun and shooting off a flare above them with a soft _pop_. A few moments later another flare in the distance went off.

     "And while we are waiting..." Abigail pulled out a strange looking smoke grenade, pulling out the pin and throwing it at the base of the overpass. Hancock gave her a smirk as a bloom of smoke formed under the Gunners, cascading up into the clouds above them, "Gonna be a real shame, getting into a firefight while your clothes are still on. It's not too late by the way..."

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she fiddled with her Pipboy. "You finding us some music to set the ambiance, sister?" She grinned up at Hancock, her eyes sparkling under her tricorn hat, as they heard the sound of a violin coming from her Pipboy. "Tell me, Hancock. Do you know why the original John Hancock was famous?"

     He smiled down at her as more laser beams chipped the rocks around them, "You mean besides being America's first hoodlum?" Hancock fired a few rounds with his shotgun before looking back at Abigail. "You sure you wanna talk about this now, sister?"

     Abigail cranked her laser musket. Aiming from between the rocks, she fired off a round before turning back to Hancock. "What better time than now?"

     An announcer replaced the music on Abigail's Pipboy saying, "We see your smoke, General-" Abigail shut off her Pipboy as she smirked up at Hancock.

     Hancock let out a laugh, he could see Minutemen in the distance, running towards them. "Alright sister, I'll bite. Why?"

     "John Hancock was a smuggler, it's true. But he wasn't the only one in his time. What makes him memorable was his fearlessness. All the colonies got together and wanted to declare their independence. That's all well and good, right? But when it came time for all of them to sign it, they realized they were signing their death warrants as well. When all of them hesitated, John Hancock went and signed it. It was an act of defiance that encouraged a new nation to stand up to the most powerful man in the world at the time. I see that same courage and defiance in you..."

     A loud whistle erupted in the distance, they watched a giant projectile cross the sky, causing a large explosion that shook the ground as it landed on the freeway overpass. A dozen or so Minutemen crowded together at the base of the hill under them. Abigail locked eyes with Hancock before turning her attention to her men, another explosion rocked the earth beneath them as she yelled, "For too long! Gunner, Raiders, and Super Mutants have plagued the Commonwealth. They have pillaged this land! Killing those who just want to survive!"

     She paused as another explosion erupted behind her, "Well today we are going to send them a message: the Minutemen will not fucking stand for this any longer! So long as there is a Minuteman still breathing, we will drive this sickness from the Commonwealth! We will reclaim our home! Now who's with me?"

     The Minutemen cheered beneath them. Abigail glanced over to see Hancock's cocky grin before pointing at the men, saying, "You four! Go on either side of us and provide cover fire. The rest of you! On my signal, we're gonna storm the bridge!"

     She cranked her laser musket while she waited for the last of the artillery to fall. After the final explosion, Abigail raised her musket over her head and yelled, "For the Commonwealth!"

     "For the Commonwealth!"

     Abigail jumped over the rocks separating them from the freeway overpass, her men close behind her. An array of laser beams and dust shielding their way to the remaining Gunners. After making their way up the off ramp, Abigail raised her musket, firing at the Gunners as they struggled to regroup. There weren't many left after the artillery fire. And after a few minutes of gunfire, Abigail stood at the top of the ruined overpass. Their victory insured. The wind whipping her hair about her face, as she took in the landscape around her.

     "Still think your men view you as a bureaucrat, sister?"

     Abigail gave a laugh as she turned to face him, "I suppose not."

     Hancock gave her a smirk as he stood over her, "That's because you didn't stop to question yourself. You just did what came natural. And you, sister, are one hell of a general."

     Abigail's heart was still racing from the firefight as she looked up at Hancock's cocky grin. The sun shine was sparkling around them, the moment was perfect. Before she could think twice about it, she wrapped her arms around Hancock's shoulders and planted her lips on his. She could feel him tense up in surprise, before he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. Abigail could feel herself melting into his touch as he tenderly kissed her. After a few moments, she slowly pulled herself away, her arms resting around Hancock's neck as their eyes locked onto each other.

     "Uh, General?"

     Abigail looked away from Hancock, to one of the Minutemen that had approached them. She motioned for him to come closer, asking, "How many were lost?"

     "None, ma'am."

     Abigail let out a sigh of relief, "Good, I need you to take a message to Sanctuary. Tell Preston what happened here. He'll need to increase patrols in this area. We can't let them get another foothold like this again."

     "Yes, General!"

     Abigail looked back at Hancock's smirk, lifting an eyebrow as she pointed South, "Shall we?"

     Abigail turned away from him as they continued their journey South. She smiled to herself, the touch of Hancock's kiss still on her lips.


	19. Synthedic Encounter

     "So... are we gonna talk about what happened, sister?"

     They had been walking for hours in silence since the fire fight. Abigail leading their way South, Hancock close behind her. Abigail let out a soft sigh, leaning her head back to look up at the sun beaming down on them, before saying, "I just think I opened a can of worms with you that I'm not really ready to deal with."  
     

     "How do you figure that?" Hancock said with a smirk, as he moved to walk beside her. He stared at her with curiosity, until she finally locked eyes with him, saying, "I'm just not sure I know how to do this anymore."

     Hancock chuckled, "You had me fooled, sister."

     Abigail stared at the ground as they walked, "Fluffing a man's ego and a flirtatious exchange of words, it's different from opening yourself up to someone. I learned to do it because it made my job easier. But with Nate... I knew him my whole life, Hancock, and we didn't do this dance. It just happened."

     Hancock adjusted the shotgun on his shoulders, he looked down at Abigail beside him, his cocky grin still planted on his face, "And our kiss? It didn't just happen, sister?"

     His grin widened when she looked up at him with a soft smile, "Hancock... We have been traveling together for days. I knew Nate fifteen _years_ before I kissed him..."

     "Fifteen years ain't nothin' to a ghoul, sister." Hancock said with a smirk as he gave her a gentle nudge. And he was ready to wait for an eternity, if it meant he got _her_.

     They came to a halt when they reached the top of a small hill. Hancock looked around as Abigail fiddled around with her Pipboy. He tapped her arm to get her attention, taking his shotgun off of his shoulders. Abigail looked up and followed his gaze a little farther ahead of them, a man was holding a kneeling man at gunpoint. They could hear their muffled voices as they approached, Hancock and Abigail drawing their weapons.

     "Please, please help! I don't want to die."

     "Shut your mouth or I swear I will shut it for you."

     "Well what do we have here?" Hancock's raspy voice caught both men's attention.

     The kneeling man looked up to Hancock with pleading eyes, begging, "Please! You've got to help me. This guy's a synth and he's going to kill me and replace me and my family... oh god, my kids..."

     The other man shook his rifle at the kneeling man, yelling, "Don't you dare bring them up! He's the synth and he wants to replace me!"

     The kneeling man changed his attention to Abigail, "Please, please you've got to believe me. You can't let that thing do this."

     Abigail glanced between them, sure enough they were identical in every way, from their facial structure to their posture, even their clothes were the matching.

     "Drop the gun." Abigail said, aiming her musket at him.

     The man with the rifle said in a panicked voice, "No! He wants me dead. He's never going to stop! I have to kill him."

     "Don't listen to it. It'll say anything to convince you."

     Hancock fired his shotgun at the ground between them, "She said... drop it."

     "Okay, okay... But please, don't kill me! He's the synth!" The first man said as he dropped the rifle.

     "You got a plan, sister?" Hancock muttered under his breath as Abigail rifled through her bag. She pulled out a single piece of paper, before straightening up whispering, "I hope so."

     She pointed her laser musket at the first man, "Kneel." The man reluctantly did as he was told as Abigail began to circled them, "Now I am going to ask you boys a series of questions, if I feel like one of you is lying, I'm going to shoot you. If one of your answers is the same as the other, I'll shoot you. Got it?"

     Both men nodded as they kneeled in front of her. Hancock gave Abigail a quizzical look as she lifted the paper, reading, "You are approached by a frenzied scientist, who yells, 'I'm going to put my quantum harmonizer in your photonic resonation chamber!' What's your response?" She paused in front of the second man, and gave him a quick jab with her musket.

     "Wha-What?"

     Abigail's voice was emotionless as she said, "What is your response?"

     "I... I'd run away!"

     Abigail moved to the next man, "Same question."

     "Wha-what?"

     Abigail's musket thundered off as a beam whizzed past the man's face, "What did I _just_ say about giving the same answer?"

     "I'd tell him he was crazy!"

      "Next question." Abigail said as she raised the paper back to her face, she continued to circle them as she read, "While working as an intern in the Clinic, a patient with a strange infection on his foot stumbles through the door. The infection is spreading at an alarming rate, but the doctor has stepped out for a while." She paused behind the first man, leaning over him as she asked, "What do you do?"

      The man was shaking as he stuttered, "I-I'd scream for help."

      Abigail moved to the second man, "Same question."

     "I'd c-cut it off to keep it from spreading."

      Hancock's eyes narrowed as he watched Abigail. Even if they were giving different answers, neither of them knew the real one. How was she going to decide who was the synth? But Abigail didn't seem worried about this as she continued to read the questions off her list.

      Abigail paused behind the first man, nudging him with her musket as she said, "Congratulations... You made it onto a baseball team. Which position do you prefer?"

     "I don't play baseball..."

     "And you?" Abigail said as she faced the second man, "Which do you prefer?"

     "Uh... I'd be a catcher."

     "Gotcha." Abigail said under her breath as she fired her musket at the second man, her musket's beam hitting him square in the face.

     Both Hancock and the kneeling man stared at Abigail in shock as she bent over the corpse, her nimble fingers inspecting the wound. Abigail let out a sigh of relief when she pulled a synth component from the dead man's skull. Turning to face the other man, she picked up his rifle and held it out for him, "You can go."

     "Wha-what?"

      "The synth is dead. You are free to go."

      "Why? Why would the Institute want to replace me?" The man mumbled to himself as he went to stand over the synth.

      "Are you gonna be alright?" Abigail cocked her head as she watched him.

      "Yeah... I just... need to be alone." The man said in a dazed voice as he turned to walk away. Abigail's face turned to concern as she put a reassuring hand on the man's back, turning him around to face Hancock.

      "Hey, I'm sorry that I scared you. How about you just sit with us until you get your bearings back? How does that sound?" Abigail didn't wait for the man to response, stirring him to a rock and making him sit. The man sat in silence, staring at the ground between his feet.

      "Can I ask you for your name?" Abigail asked as she rifled through her bag, taking out a canteen of water and some radstag jerky.

      The man hesitated before saying, "It's Art." Abigail smiled when Art accepted the canteen and food, "Well, I'm Abigail and this is Hancock." She motioned to Hancock behind her. Art just nodded as he continued to stare at the ground, nibbling on a piece of jerky.

     Abigail walked over to Hancock, leaning over to him and whispering, "Do you think he's going to be okay?"

     Hancock stared at Art as he whispered back, "Hard to say, sister. The man was almost replaced by the Institute."

     He turned to Abigail, "How the hell did you know which one was the synth?"

     "Truth is I didn't. We got lucky."

     "Then what the hell was that test?"

      Abigail leaned closer to Hancock, her tricorn hat brushing up against his shoulder as they both stared at Art. In a low voice, she whispered, "They called it the SAFE test. Preston and I happened upon this settlement called Covenat, and they had it as a sort of entrance exam. Well... when people kept disappearing in the surrounding area, we helped investigate. Turns out they had developed the SAFE test as a way to test for synths and they were capturing and torturing people, along with synths, to better refine it."

      Hancock looked down at her with disbelief, "Shit... but it works?"

     "After we cleared them out, I spent days combing over the data. I mean... what if there really was a way to find out who had been replaced by the Institute? There was a slight correlation, it's true, but it was barely outside of the margin of error. They didn't have enough data to draw a definitive conclusion. It would have taken hundreds, if not thousands, more to know if the test was really accurate."

     A silence passed between them as they continued to stare at Art. Hancock looked down at Abigail, with a curious look he asked, "What are you thinking, sister?"

     "This whole thing... the SAFE test, Art, Covenat... it reminds me of an exam I had in college."

     A smirk crossed Hancock's face as he looked down at her, "This reminds you of an exam, sister? What the hell did you people study before the war?"

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she looked up at Hancock, before turning her focus back to Art, whispering, "You don't just study one thing at college, everything intertwines. It was one of my philosophy exams. In truth, I didn't have to take it to get my law degree, but I wanted to become a lawyer to do what was right. As it turns out, philosophy is a fickle thing. It's not like scientific theory where you can prove one thing is right and another's wrong. So the professor made us debate amongst each other and whoever had the best argument, got the best grade."

     "What did you guys debate?"

     "He gave us a scenario... I know this isn't common knowledge, but the sun creates it's energy from nuclear fusion. It's mass is so large that gravity forces the hydrogen atoms in the sun's core to smash together creating helium and the byproduct is light. Scientists never found a way to create nuclear fusion here on our planet, if they had, we would have had basically limitless electricity... So here's the scenario... three scientists are ten years away from figuring out a way to create nuclear fusion, but they all _happen_ to be dying from different organs shutting down and they all _happen_ to have the same rare blood type. The government has found a nobody who has the same blood type as the three scientists. They could abduct him and harvest his organs, curing the three scientists, and achieve limitless energy for all of mankind. Would it be right or wrong to sacrifice him for the betterment of mankind?"

     Abigail paused before continuing, "I was the only one that said it was wrong... That that man's right to life was more important than the rest of society having an easier life. They all tried to argue that the end justified the means, but to me, it doesn't. I stood there and pointed to each person in the class and asked them if they would feel the same if they were the one being sacrificed. Long story short, they didn't have a counter and I got the best grade. Most of them didn't really care, they just wanted to pass. Chances were that none of us would ever have to make that call. But there I stood over 200 years later, with basically that same choice in front of me: should I let them sacrifice innocent lives for the benefit of mankind or stop them? I made the same stand I did in that exam, but was it the _right_ choice? That test saved Art's life, but was it worth killing people to do it?"

     Silence passed between them as they both stared at Art. Hancock turned to Abigail, his hand caressing her cheek as he drew her attention to his face. His dark eyes were warm as he whispered, "No matter what decision you made, it wouldn't have brought those people back. You made the right choice, sister. You stopped them from sacrificing more innocents and used the information they gathered to keep those people from dying over nothing."

      Abigail found herself holding her breath as she stared into Hancock's eyes. She could feel him moving closer to her, feel his breath on her. Abigail leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as she said, "Thank you, Hancock."

     "Uh... thanks for the help. I just... I just need to be alone."

     Abigail's eyes shot open, turning around to see Art walking away. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Hancock pulling her face to meet his, saying in a low whisper, "Hey, hey. There's nothing more we can do for him, sister."

     They both watched Art in silence as he disappeared into the landscape before turning South to continue their journey, Hancock giving Abigail another gentle nudge, his cocky grin returning to his face.


	20. Thistle Spears

     "If I didn't know better, I would have thought your chems just kicked in." Hancock chuckled from over Abigail's shoulder as she crouched near a strange plant. They had been traveling South for the past few days and were finally close to the rim of the Glowing Sea, but had stopped when Abigail had become transfixed on a plant in their path. Her eyes narrowed as she examined it. The short plant had spine tipped leaves, tall spiked stems shot out from its base, topped with purple flowers. In truth, the thing looked menacing, yet Abigail seemed fascinated by it.

     "I've seen this plant before..."

     "It's thistle, sister. Ain't got a use other than being a weed."

     Abigail cocked her head as she continued to stare at the plant, "I used to pick thistle near my house growing up. We used it to make vegetable rennet... I wonder if this version has the same properties."

     Hancock smirked as he stood behind her, "What the hell is rennet?"

     Abigail laughed as she looked over her shoulder at him, "It's what you need to turn milk into cheese. There's animal rennet too, but I never had the stomach for it. Pun intended."

     Hancock could feel his brow furrowing, "What?"

     "Animal rennet comes from the stomach lining of animals like cows."

     "And you eat it?"

     "Not exactly, you mix it with milk and eat the curds, usually after you age it."

     Hancock laughed in disbelief as he said, "And why would you _want_ to eat that?"

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the plant, "So you're telling me that you'd rather shoot radiation into your veins than eat cheese?"

     "Yep, don't even have to think twice, sister."

     "People eat bloatflies for crying out loud! Is the idea of cheese worse then _that_?"

     Abigail held out a hand to pick the thistle blossom. She gasped in surprise when a cloud of spores exploded from it's base. Hancock quickly pushed Abigail out of the way, causing her to sprawl out on her back. She watched helplessly as the green dust landed all over Hancock.

     Letting out a cough as he brushed the spores from his frock, he looked down at her with concern, "You alright, sister?"

     "What the hell was that?" Abigail asked as she looked back to the plant.

     "The thing let's out radioactive spores if you touch it."

     "Why didn't you say anything?"

     Hancock laughed as he helped her up, "You said you'd dealt with them before."

      Abigail couldn't help but smile up at him as she said, "Well they didn't use to explode! Are you alright?"

     "Like I told you, sister. Radiation doesn't bother me."

     Abigail watched with curiosity as Hancock continued brushing spores from his jacket, finally saying, "We should probably find a spot to camp out for the night."

     Hancock glanced up at the sun beaming down at them, with a skeptical look he responded, "A little early to be worrying about that, ain't it?"

     Abigail pointed South, where a green glow stretched along the horizon, random spurts of lightening peered through the thick fog. "I don't want to deal with that until the morning."

     "Fair enough. How about I find us something to eat? I'm sick of eating jerky."

     "I'll find us some firewood then."

     Hancock flashed Abigail a cocky smile, "What happened to no fires, sister?"

     A playful smile crossed her lips as she responded, "I won't tell Preston, if you don't."


	21. Dinner for Two

     When Hancock returned an hour later, he found Abigail laying out under the sun, her fair skin shining in the sunlight. Her jacket was rolled into a ball under her head. Abigail turned her head at the sound of his approaching footsteps, her smile soon turned into a scowl as she narrowed her eyes at him, turning her focus to the carcass in his hands.

     "You've lost your mind, if you think I'm eating _that_."

     Hancock chuckled as he lifted the dead bloatfly he was carrying, "What this? I thought you said it was your favorite."

     Hancock took a seat next to Abigail as he started gutting the bloatfly. Abigail watched in horror as he dragged his knife along its belly and began peeling off its exoskeleton, green slime oozing onto his hands. Even as she closed her eyes and looked away, she could still hear the sound of the bloatfly's flesh being pulled apart and its guts landing on the ground. Hancock chuckled as he watched Abigail in amusement.

     She turned to glare at him, "You have a sick sense of humor, Hancock."

     "No whining, sister. Everyone knows that it's smart to eat a little bloatfly before exposing yourself to rads."

     "You're making that up."

     "I'm hurt that you would think I would put you through this torment solely for my own entertainment."

     Abigail rolled her eyes before she dared take another look at the dismembered bloatfly in his hands, "That sounds _exactly_ like something you would do."

     She could hear amusement in his raspy voice as he said, "Maybe sister, but not this time. It'll help keep off the rads."

     He took a chunk of the bloatfly meat and skewered it onto a stick, before handing it to Abigail, "Mind holding this, sister?"

     Abigail reluctantly held it while Hancock made a small fire, taking it back from her a few minutes later to hold it over the fire. Desperate to focus on something else, Abigail looked off into the distance, toward the Glowing Sea.

     In a soft voice, she asked, "What does it feel like?"

     "What's that, sister?"

     "Radiation. What does it feel like?"

     Hancock paused as he watched the bloatfly over the fire, "Feels warm, sister. Like I remember sunlight used to feel on my skin."

     Abigail glanced down at Hancock's hands. She brought her hand to his, tracing the harsh line created by Hancock's ghoulish skin, "What does sunlight feel like now?"

    Hancock chuckled as he looked down at Abigail's hand on his, "Imagine it feels the same, sister. Just a little harder to feel sometimes."

     A moment of silence passed between them, broken by Hancock pulling his hand away to test the doneness of the bloatfly. Holding it up to Abigail, he said, "Try a bite, sister."

     Abigail scrunched her nose at it before she responded, "You first."

     She grimaced as she watched Hancock bite into it without hesitation, a green liquid trickled from the bloatfly's seared pours. Hancock smirked as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, holding the bloatfly out to her once more.

     "Come on, sister. Just pretend it's cheese."

     With an exasperated sigh, she grabbed the bloatfly's skewer and bit into it before she could talk herself out of it. The texture was similar to blackened tofu and, to her relief, the first taste that hit her was simply char. She could feel juices squishing from the bloatfly as she chewed it, leaving a disgusting aftertaste in her mouth as she swallowed it.

     "I think I'm going to be sick..." Abigail said with a cough. Hancock chuckled as he rifled through Abigail's pack, pulling out a few mutfruits.

     "To get rid of the aftertaste." He said as he popped one into his mouth, handing Abigail the rest of them.

     Hancock continued to watch Abigail with amusement as she took a few more bites of bloatfly, with a soft chuckle, he said, "You know I have to say, sister. I'm impressed... Most folks I run with don't make it through the day."

     "I'm starting to understand why..." Abigail said, gagging on the last bit of bloatfly.

     Hancock gave her a playful nudge as he said, "You know... if we find a way to turn you into a ghoul, we could do this long term. Something to think about..."

     Finally finished with the bloatfly, Abigail tossed the skewer into the fire. She turned her attention to the horizon, the sun was setting to the West, making the Glowing Sea's green haze seem brighter in contrast. Continuing to stare into the distance as she took a bite of mutfruit, her response was barely more then a whisper, "I don't think I'd like that..."

     Hancock paused from stoking the fire, staring at her with a cocky grin, he chuckled, "You sick of me already? Don't tell me it's because of the bloatfly."

     Abigail paused before answering, "Not that..."

     She turned her focus back on Hancock, his smile fading as she said, "Being a ghoul."

     Hancock felt a little taken aback from her words. They had been traveling for weeks together and he had never once felt that she had judged him for being a ghoul. Hell, she had defended him from the Brotherhood's tin can. She'd _kissed_ him. Did she secretly dislike ghouls? And where did that leave him?

     He stared at her with a puzzled look, his usual humor lost from his voice, "I didn't realize you had a problem with ghouls."

     "I'm sorry. I said that wrong. Obviously, Hancock, I don't have a problem with ghouls. Do you think I would have kissed you if I did?"

     Hancock let out a sigh he didn't realize he was holding, a small smile returning to his face as he asked, "Then what is it, sister?"

     "You've already said that ghouls age really slow right? Almost to the point of immortality?"

     "Well... I don't know about immortal but yeah what of it?"

     "I don't think I would want that. Watching everything around you fade? Your friends withering away? When I find my son, if I was a ghoul, I would live centuries after him. It goes against the natural order and I wouldn't want that..."

     Hancock stared at her in silence. He hadn't thought of that. But why else would he want to turn Abigail into a ghoul? He didn't want to watch her fade, to live a lifetime without her. He watched a small smile cross her lips as she leaned her head against his shoulder, her soft voice reaching his ears, "Besides, I want more children. I can't imagine having a radioactive uterus would be good for a fetus."

     Hancock felt his body stiffen, "What?"

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at him as she continued to rest her head on his shoulder, "I grew up with siblings. I want that for my son."

     "But your husband..."

     "Is gone. I know."

     When Hancock didn't respond, Abigail looked up at him with fake surprise, "Hancock... Don't tell me your parents never told you about the birds and the bees. I don't need a husband to conceive a child. Plenty of girls before the war proved that to be true."

     "I'm sure the boy scout will be overjoyed."

     Abigail gave Hancock a skeptical look before saying, "Preston? Seriously? He'd be too weird about it. Expect us to settle down and become a family."

     Hancock wrapped his arm around Abigail, in his smoky voice he asked, "You don't want that?"

     "Not with him. No."

     A soft smirk crossed Hancock's lips as they stared at the stars beginning to appear in the night sky above them. After a moment, Abigail broke the silence, "I'm surprised you didn't offer."

     Hancock let out a laugh as he looked down at the amused expression on her face, "Believe me, sister. I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, but unfortunately ghoul's are sterile."

     "Really?"

     "Have I lied to you yet, sister?"

     The amusement left her face as she stared at the sky, he could practically see his words milling though her head. He wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but was worried about what she would say. Never had he regretted becoming a ghoul, but if he had known he would meet a girl like her, someone who could match his own wit and charms, before he had plunged that needle into his arm, would he still have done it? Thoughts of a life he could have had raced through his mind, thoughts of a family he would never see, thoughts of growing old with Abigail, useless thoughts that only left a bitter taste in his mouth. Hancock loathed the man that he used to be, if he couldn't stand seeing that bastard in the mirror, how could he expect Abigail to?

     He was shocked when he glanced down to see Abigail smiling up at him, in a playful voice she said, "You flirt an awful lot for an impotent man."

     Hancock felt himself relax as he nestled his face into her hair, whispering in a rough voice, "Oh I assure you, sister. All the parts work. But I think we can both agree that the world is a safer place when I'm shooting blanks."

     Hancock leaned his head closer to kiss along Abigail's jaw. When she turned to face him, his rough lips met her soft ones. Hancock tenderly kissed her, his hands running along her thighs, pulling her closer to him. He could feel her fingers trailing down his neck, to his exposed chest. Bringing one hand to support her head as the kiss deepened, he could feel her heart racing against his touch. His tongue flicking in and out from her lips, coaxing her tongue to dance with his. This was better than anything he could have imagined and he was finally going to have her.

     "We can't do this. Not now."

     Abigail's words broke their kiss, but she didn't pull away. A moment of silence passed between them as Hancock remained transfixed on those brown eyes that sparkled like copper under the night sky. Her words didn't faze him as a cocky grin crossed Hancock's face.

     "I can't think of a better time then now, sister."

     Hancock could see the doubt begin to cloud in her eyes, he was on the cusp of convincing her to accept his advances, to be with him. But he didn't want to coerce her into having sex with him. When Hancock took her, he wanted to take all of her with no reservations, no doubts. And that was something worth waiting for. Hancock brought his lips to her forehead, he could feel Abigail relax under him as he kissed her.

    "Get some sleep then, sister."


	22. The Glowing Sea

     "Are you sure you're fine?"

     Abigail and Hancock had been wondering through the Glowing Sea for hours. Their trek only interrupted by Abigail pausing every so often to ask Hancock if he was alright, clearly not convinced of his immunity to radiation. Lightening spurts danced in the green haze above them as Hancock let out an annoyed sigh.

      "For the umpteenth time, sister. I'm f-"

     Hancock broke off, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands. Abigail turned around at his abrupt halt. Her hazmat suit muffling the hysterical crack in her voice, "Hancock?"

     The only reply she got from him was a grunt as his body began to twitch randomly, his tricorn hat hiding his face. Abigail felt panic bubbling inside her as her laser musket slip from her grasp. She swung her pack from her back, spilling it's contains onto the ground between them and hastily began searching through the items. Abigail froze when she heard a deep growl. Her heart racing, she slowly looked up at Hancock towering over her. His teeth were bared as he leaned closer to her, his breath fogging the mask of her hazmat suit.

     "Please... Hancock. It's me."

     Abigail closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks, as she knelt before him. Was this really how she was going to die? By the hand of someone she cared for? _No_. She had a mission, a purpose. Abigail refused to die before she found her son. Her fingers closed around the metal rings in her hand. Determination burned inside of her, Abigail eyes shot open only to be faced with Hancock's cocky grin.

     "I wish I could see your face right now, sister."

     Abigail paused as she watched Hancock stifle a laugh, before yelling, "Are you fucking kidding me, Hancock?!!"

     Abigail punched his leg as hard as she could before throwing the handcuffs in her hand at Hancock's head. Doubling over on the ground next to her, Hancock let out a groan, "I guess I deserved that."

     "What if I had shot you?!!"

     Hancock chuckled as he began picking up the items that had fallen from Abigail's pack. Holding up the handcuffs, he replied, "Well lucky for me, you're into some kinky shit."

     Abigail let out a huff as she shoved the handcuffs into her bag, "I was worried! I figured if I managed to cuff you, at least I could still return you to Goodneighbor, feral or not. Besides... It's not like anyone would notice the difference."

     Hancock smirked as he picked up a strange syringe filled with a mysterious looking green serum. "What's this, sister?"

     Abigail barely looked at him as she took the vial from him and shoved it into her pack, returning the last of remaining lost items. Picking up her laser musket, she said in an annoyed voice, "It's my get-out-of-jail-free card."

     Slinging her pack onto her back, she stomped off in the direction they had originally been going. Hancock chuckled as he ran to catch up with her, loving the way her hazmat suit clung to her curves.

     "So what exactly does it do?"

     "I don't know for sure."

     "Well where did you get it?"

     Not bothering to shield her annoyance with him, she responded, "I found some work with a family that had their father locked away for 400 years. The serum is my payment for releasing him."

     "Woah, woah, hold up sister. You are seriously shrugging off meeting a guy that's been around 400 years. I've never met a ghoul that old."

     "He wasn't a ghoul."

     Hancock grabbed Abigail's arm, spinning her around to face him. He stared down at her with a puzzled look, "What? How is that possible?"

     "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

     "Try me."

     "Alright..." Abigail said as she turned around to continue their journey through the green fog, "Preston and I came across this freakishly pristine house South of Bunker Hill. Honestly, I wouldn't have noticed it if there hadn't been a damn Sentrybot telling me to stay off the grass. I managed to talk myself inside, which was stupid now that I look back on it, because sure enough the second I take a step inside there's a ghoul with an assault rifle pointed at my face. While I'm trying to talk myself out of _that_ situation, the owner comes out of the back room and hires me on the spot."

     Abigail paused before continuing as they began to climb a steep hill, "There was some fucked up shit going on in that house. I started off just thinking they were high as kites on chems, talking about aliens and forgotten civilizations. Normally I would have made a run for it but I needed the caps and what did it matter if they were sane or not? Long story short their father, Lorenzo, way back when, found an ancient artifact and like an idiot from a horror movie puts in on. Son _says_ that it made his father homicidal, so he locks him up in an insane asylum. For 400 years. While he _supposedly_ tries to find a cure."

     Hancock cocked his head as he said, "Why do you say supposedly, sister?"

     Abigail let out a huff as she said, "Because the artifact made his father immortal, and the son found a way to make a serum from his blood to keep him and the rest of his family from aging. Even if he _had_ found a cure, I doubt they would have used it. They were content with leeching off their own father. So when I found myself face to face with Lorenzo. I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I saw myself in him. Locked away for hundreds of years."

     Hancock could feel himself stiffen as she finished, was he finally going to learn how she was from before the war? When she didn't say anything, he asked, "Is that how you got here, sister? Were you locked in those pods back in Vault 111?"

     Her voice sounded wispy even though her hazmat suit, her voice trailing though the wind as she said, "When the bombs started to fall, my family and I sought shelter in Vault 111. We didn't know what we were getting into... I thought... It doesn't matter what I thought. The scientists locked us in those pods and cryogenically froze us as an experiment. And well... you know the rest."

     Abigail felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as a deep growl echoed around them.

     "Hancock... I swear-"

     "It ain't me this time, sister."

     "Then what..." Abigail cut herself off at the sight before them as they crest the top of the rocky hill. A shallow radioactive pool of glowing orange liquid stretched out beneath them. Crusty clumps of earth encasing its shores, where an albino deathclaw was surrounded by a horde of feral ghouls. It's sleek white scales shimmering through the Glowing Sea's green fog as it leaned back to emit a menacing roar. Abigail stared in awe as it moved with uncharacteristic grace, given its massive size. It's claws sparkled under the radioactive lightning spurts, slashing at the ferals as they flung themselves to it's mercy.

     Abigail attention moved to a pile of bones and rubble at the hill's base, tapping Hancock's shoulder as she started to slowing crawl down to it.

     Hancock's whisper cut through the fog, "What the hell are you doing, sister?"

     "That's a deathclaw nest."

     "Which means we shouldn't be getting anywhere near it, for fuck's sake."

     "The money we'd get for those eggs will keep the Minutemen funded for months, if not _years_ , Hancock."

     Hancock grabbed Abigail's arm, halting her descent. "You would risk your life for fucking caps, Abigail?"

     "If the price is right, yes. And so would you. I can't pass this up."

     Hancock looked up at the deathclaw in the distance as it continued to fling feral ghouls across the clearing as easily as if they were rag dolls. With a sigh, he said, "Let me grab them then, I would rather die than listen to the boy scout's bitching if I let you get mauled by an overgrown lizard."

     Hancock took Abigail's pack and quickly crept to the nest, where sure enough three pristine eggs were delicately displayed. Grabbing them one by one, he wrapped them in Abigail's clothes and tucked them away in her pack. Hancock glanced over his shoulder to see Abigail placing frag mines between them and the deathclaw.

     In an annoyed whisper, he asked, "What the hell are you doing now, sister?"

     Abigail opened her mouth to respond but the deathclaw's roar interrupted her. They both looked up to see the glare of the beast's white hide shining through the green mist before it began to charge at them. Abigail placed another mine in front of her as she began backing away, cranking her laser musket as she went.

     She aimed down her sights as the albino deathclaw ran toward her group of mines. To her dismay, it side stepped at the last moment, managing to not trigger the mines as it moved over them. Abigail's musket made a thunderous blast as she shoot one of the mines under it. The explosion crippling the beast's tail. Letting out another roar, the deathclaw changed it's focus solely onto Abigail, dragging it's claws along the ground as it flung debris at her. Hancock tried to break the deathclaw's focus on Abigail, holding up his shotgun and firing, only to watch the shot bounce of it's hide.

     Abigail began to panic as the deathclaw charged at her, it's body moving with a fluid grace. She quickly cranked her laser musket as she continued to slowly back away, but just as she began to raise her musket, the deathclaw stuck her, knocking her onto her back. Abigail could feel her breath escape her as the white beast towered over her, throwing it's arms up to deliver the killing blow.

     As a last act of desperation, Abigail lifted her laser musket and fired into the deathclaw's belly. Letting out a final roar, the beast staggered as it began to fall on top of her. Lifting her arms up to shield her head, she couldn't help but think this was it. She managed to kill a legendary deathclaw only to be crushed by its corpse. Panic consumed her as she felt something grab both of her ankles, pulling her under the deathclaw. Just as the sound of the beast hitting the ground reached her ears, Abigail opened her eyes to see Hancock standing over her.

     "That was one hell of a show, sister."

     Abigail grabbed Hancock's outstretched hand, "Thank you for making sure it wasn't my grand finale."

     Helping her to her feet, Hancock said with a cocky grin, "Never a dull moment with you, eh? Starting to see why the boy scout always got a stick up his ass."

     With a smirk, Abigail moved her fingers under Hancock's jacket. Hancock raised an eyebrow as she pulled a knife from his flock and moved over to the deathclaw, cutting off it's hand.

     "The eggs aren't a good enough souvenir, sister?"

     "How else am I supposed to prove these are albino eggs?"

     "Good point." Hancock said in a raspy voice, as he set Abigail's pack beside her.

     After tucking the claw safely away in her pack, Abigail stood abruptly, wobbling in place. Hancock moved his hand to steady her, tilting his head only to see his reflection in the mask of Abigail's hazmat suit. He asked in a concerned voice, "Abigail, you alright?"

     "John... I don't feel so good..." Her voice trailed off as she collapsed in his arms. Kneeling, Hancock turned her over, noticing the cut across her stomach. A few drops of blood met his fingers as he pinched the hole in her hazmat suit shut. The wound itself wasn't much, but the radiation that had leaked through her suit was a serious concern.

     "We need to get you out of this radiation, sister." Hancock said, hoisting her into his arms and glancing around.

     "Don't leave the eggs..." Abigail's voice was so weak Hancock wasn't sure she had really spoken.

     "We have more important things to worry about, sister. You, for starters."

     "Please, Hancock... I don't want to die in vain."

     "You're not going to die."

     "You don't know that for sure... Please John. For me."

     Hancock let out a sigh as he awkwardly grabbed the pack on the ground, Abigail still in his arms. Heading toward the high ground to the West, their figures disappeared into the radioactive mist.


	23. The Abandoned Shack

  
     "Hey, stay with me. Abigail!"

     Hancock gave Abigail a soft shake in his arms. Lightning danced along the sky above, shrouded by the green fog. Radiation burned trees surrounded him as he continued to walk toward the mountain ranges that bordered the Glowing Sea. A ruined house came into view along with a frame of an old automobile, Hancock hurried his pace as he neared it.

     Kicking the door open, Hancock could still see the geiger counter from Abigail's Pipboy going crazy on her wrist. Noticing a skeleton sprawled across a suitcase, Hancock gently set Abigail on the floor beside him, careful to keep the hole in her hazmat suit pinched shut as he searched the suitcase for something to jury rig her suit. Opening the case, Hancock found a key, various articles of clothing, and a piece of paper.

     Grabbing the piece of paper, Hancock read:

 _Hello Government Employee!_  
_With the threat of Communist Chinese invasion increasing daily, you may find yourself thinking of what to do in case of Total Atomic Annihilation. Fear not! As a federal government worker, you have the privilege of being locked away, safe and sound, in the very place you work every day! Just follow these simple instructions if and when the bombs fall and you'll find yourself surrounded by your fellow employees, waiting out the nuclear winter!_  
_1) When you hear the alarms, drop everything. Do not bother packing anything, even personal belongings. Everything you need should be waiting for you in your designated safety location/workplace._  
_2) Head to your designated workplace [K-21B]._  
_3) Once inside, should radiation reach problem levels, an alarm will sound. Promptly close the doors and lock them. Do not open again until a second warning bell sounds._  
_Godspeed, good luck, and enjoy YOUR better future underground!_

 

     "Holy shit..." Hancock mumbled to himself, his fingers closing around the key. Glancing around the room, he saw a trap door a few feet away under a ruined bed frame. Tossing the bed frame aside, Hancock unlocked the trap door.

     "Looks like it's our lucky day, sunshine." Hancock whispered to Abigail, as he tucked her into his arms and climbed through the trap door, closing it behind him. Darkness surrounded them as Hancock fumbled to turn on Abigail's Pipboy light, it's light illuminating the narrow entrance around them. Abigail hung limp in Hancock's arms as he rounded a corner, lockers lined one of the walls of a small room next to a stairwell, a desk was placed in the center, topped with a typewriter along with an assortment of other items.

     Hancock kicked the desk aside, dumping the contains of Abigail's pack on the floor and gently laying Abigail in the center of the room as he began to remove her hazmat suit to assess the damage. Her face was the first thing he saw as he unsealed her mask and set it aside, her brown locks framing her face. Hancock noticed her breath was shallow as his fingers trailed along her chest, unzipping her suit to reveal the shallow gash on her stomach. Her skin around the wound was slightly rippled, Hancock narrowed his eyes as he leaned closer to inspect it and was shocked to see that it was spreading. Abigail was becoming a ghoul.

     The initial shock froze him in place, his fingers resting on the small patch of Abigail's ghoulish skin. His heart raced as he imagined a life with Abigail that could last for centuries. _I wouldn't like that... It's goes against the natural order._ Hancock's thoughts moved to the conversation they had had a few nights before. Hancock knew Abigail wouldn't want this. But maybe she would come to accept it, if given time. And they could be together.

     Hancock attention moved to the mysterious serum that had rolled from Abigail's pack, his fingers closed around it while his other hand continued to trace along Abigail's skin. Glancing back to Abigail's face, her eyes remained closed, her body limp. Hancock's thoughts continued to wander. Could he risk the fact that she may not survive the transformation? And if she did, possibly turn feral? What if she never forgave him for not stopping it? But what if she did? They could be together forever. _No_. An eternity with Abigail wasn't worth the risk of losing her completely. No matter how much he wanted it.

     Hancock stuck the needle into Abigail's stomach, his thumb pushing down the plunger. He watched the green serum empty from the vial as a feeling a regret consumed him. That was his one chance to spend an eternity with Abigail, but he knew he wouldn't have been able live with himself if he lost her.

     Abigail's gasp broke him from his trace as her eyes shot open, their eyes locked together as her labored breathing was the only sound breaking the silence.

     "Glad to have you back, sunshine."

     "I think that bloatfly saved my life."

     Hancock let out a sigh of relief, his hand moved to caress Abigail's cheek. He could feel her heartbeat racing as he said, "You had me really worried there, sister."

     A small smile crossed Abigail's lips as she replied, "That's what you get for pulling that prank on me."

     Hancock didn't reply as he glanced down to Abigail's stomach, the shallow gash was healed and all traces of her ghoulish skin were gone. He traced his fingers on the thin scar that had formed where the gash had been a few moments before.

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at the absence of Hancock's usual cocky wit, asking, "How bad was it?"

     Hancock's voice was emotionless as his fingers continued to trace along her stomach, "I really thought I was going to lose you."

     "Deathclaw must have done a number on me."

     "It wasn't the deathclaw that was going to kill you, Abigail. It was the radiation."

     Hancock raised his stare to meet Abigail's, pausing before saying, "You were turning into a ghoul."

     He could she panic gather in her eyes as she sat up abruptly, glancing down at her hands and then her stomach. She relaxed when all she found was smooth _human_ skin. Glancing up at Hancock, their faces mere inches away from each other, she whispered, "Thank you."

     Hancock nodded as he looked away from her. Abigail slowly raised her hand to Hancock's face, gently turning his face back toward her's.

    "I know that must have been a hard decision, but you made the right choice."

     When Hancock didn't reply, she continued, "I know I'm not everything that you want, John. But I hope you can accept me the way I am, as I have accepted you..."

     She could see a spark of emotion begin to burn in the inky abyss of Hancock's eyes, feel his arms wrapping around her as he whispered back, "That's not it at all, sunshine. I think you are perfect just the way you are. It's just the thought of losing you... to only have a memory..."

     Abigail smiled as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Hancock brushed them away as he leaned in to kiss her, his rough lips tenderly played with hers. After a few moments, Abigail broke their kiss to ask, "Did you use my get-out-of-jail-free card?"

     Hancock nodded, his fingers trailing along her bare skin.

     Abigail situated herself on top of him, her fingers parting his jacket as she brought her lips closer to his, playfully teasing him as she said, "I suppose we'll just have to get another one then."

     Hancock smiled for the first time in what felt like ages.

     "You have got to be kidding me, sister." He growled as he kissed her. His fingers pulling her hazmat suit further down her waist, exposing more of her fair skin. He could feel Abigail unbuttoning his shirt, feel her bare chest brush up against his. His heartbeat quicken as their kiss deepened.

     They both jumped when they heard a metallic clatter echo from the stairwell.


	24. Area K-21b

     "What is this place?" Abigail whispered as they quietly made their way down the stairwell. A red glow of an overhanging light revealed a closed door at the bottom of the stairwell, a few sparks shot out at them from a circuit breaker beside it. Abigail paused to tie her hazmat suit's sleeves in a knot at her waist, pulling an undershirt from her pack and putting it on. Hancock grabbed the piece of paper he had found in the suitcase outside of the trap door and handed it to Abigail. Abigail held it under her Pipboy light as she read, while Hancock held his ear to the door.

     "This may be a government sanctioned vault!" Abigail's excited whisper pulled Hancock's attention away from the door. Looking up at her, he replied in a low raspy voice, "I can hear movement on the other side."

     "There might be survivors down there!"

     "Or the more likely answer is there's something dangerous down there."

     "Don't tell me your chicken, John."

     "Pretty sure you can only cheat death so many times in one day, Abigail. Three may be pushing it."

     "You're starting to sound like Preston."

     Hancock sighed as he gave Abigail an annoyed look, in a low whisper he said, "Just stay behind me this time. Can you do that for me, sister?"

     Abigail nodded eagerly as he opened the door, only darkness greeted them when they peered out. Squinting into the darkness as she poked her head around the corner, Abigail whispered, "Can you see anything?"

     "What did I say about staying behind me, sister?" Hancock could barely make out the pouty look on Abigail face as she ducked back into the doorway. Creeping down the hallway, he could make out the outline of a shaft that went down for three stories. He raised his shotgun as he heard a loud clank, before the overhead lights sprang to life. Squinting his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, he glanced back to see Abigail's guilty smile.

     "What? I stayed behind you."

      "Did you do that?"

     "I may have flipped a breaker or two."

     "Really, sister? The thing's shooting sparks everywhere and you decide to touch it?"

     "I guess you can cheat death three times in one day."

     Hancock couldn't help but smile as Abigail stuck her tongue out at him. Both of them stiffened as they heard a mechanical voice coming from the lower levels, "Movement detected. Curious."

     As they both ducked to the ground, Hancock and Abigail crawled to the edge of the balcony that separated them from the bottom levels. Railed corridors wrapped around a giant shaft that provided visibility to the bottom of the bunker, where there were two Gen 1 synths surrounded by terminals and various dials that lined the walls. Both of the synths had their weapons drawn as they began searching.

     "Roomer then it looks, eh sister?"

     "Why do synths feel the need to narrate everything they do?"

     Hancock chuckled as he turned to face Abigail, "Stay here."

     "What? Why? I'll take the left one, you take the right."

     "My shotgun's spray won't hit them from here."

     "So I'll just do it."

     "Can't let you have all the fun, now can I?"

     Abigail watched Hancock's cocky grin disappear into the shadows that the florescent lights failed to illuminate. She heard his muffled footprints fade away as he crept to the lower levels. Abigail aimed down her sights at one of the synths, waiting for Hancock to make the first move. By the time the synths saw him it was too late. He darted past the first, dragging his knife along it's spine and severing its circuitry. He took his time with the second, grabbing it by the arm and throwing it into one of the desks. It's arm broke off as it fell. Hancock finished it off by kicking the synth's head, dislodging it from it's shoulders and leaving it only attached by the wiring in it's neck. He grinned up at Abigail as he stood over his defeated prey. Abigail rolled her eyes as she stood up and began walking down to the lower corridors.

     "Yes, yes. You are very impressive, Mr. Mayor. But I hope you know that was completely unnecessary... you big show off."

     "Had to step up my game to compete with you, sunshine."

     Abigail's smile faded as she made her way down to the bottom of the bunker.

     "I guess it's safe to say there were no survivors." Abigail muttered as she stepped over a skeleton.

     "Heh. Fancy setup. Wonder what kind of fancy space-age shit they were working on down here."

     "There's only one way to find out." Abigail said as she moved across the room to the only operational terminal, sitting in a chair in front of the monitor and began typing away. Hancock leaned against the wall beside her, after a moment of silence, he said,

     "So I've been meaning to ask you-"

     "This should be good." Abigail chuckled, smirking over her shoulder at Hancock before returning to typing on the computer.

     Hancock gave her a cocky grin before continuing, "Like I was saying... I've been meaning to ask you why you like wearing a dead man's clothes."

    "This coming from the guy who also wears a dead man's clothes?"

     "Come on, Abigail. I recognized your usual get up from the Memory Den. It used to belong to that prick, Kellogg. Right?"

     "And yours used to belong to John Hancock. What's your point?"

     "I know the Super Store isn't really selling designer jeans anymore but there are plenty of other clothes in the Commonwealth. Why do you wear his?"

      Abigail paused from typing, turning in her chair so she was facing Hancock, "Why do you wear yours?"

     "Are you gonna answer my question, sister?"

     "Answer mine first."

     Hancock grinned as he leaned back against the wall, "Haven't told you about Vic, have I? He's the asshole who ran Goodneighbor for I don't know how long before me. Guy was scum. Used us drifters like his own personal piggy bank. He had this goon squad he'd use to keep people in line. Every so often he'd let them off the leash, go blow off some steam on the populace at large."

     Hancock's grin disappeared from his face. Starring up at the ceiling, he continued, "Folks with homes could lock their doors, but us drifters, we got it bad. There was one night, some drifter said something to them. They cracked him open like a can of Cram on the pavement. And we all just stood there. Did nothing."

      Abigail stared with disbelief at Hancock. She had expected him to tell her a story about getting high and robbing a museum. Not this. It was hard to imagine the Hancock she knew standing on the sidelines. Struggling to find the words, Abigail moved her hand to touch Hancock's knee. Hancock moved his gaze onto her, the usual warmth in his eyes was clouded with guilt. Finally she managed to say, "You can't blame yourself. It sounds like you were outmatched. Probably would've killed you too."

     Hancock sighed with frustration, "You're right, but it was still spineless."

     Hancock closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall. His self-loathing had caught Abigail by surprise, for so long the only side she had seen of Hancock was one of confidence with his harmless flirting and witty banter. She was starting to learn of the memories that Hancock tried to forget in a haze of chems and alcohol. Here he was, a man with his own problems that he had dropped in an instant to help her with hers. His raspy voice broke her trance as he continued, "I felt like less than nothing. Afterwards, I got so high, I blacked out completely. When I finally came to, I was on the floor of the Old State House. Right in front of the clothes of John Hancock."

     Hancock's stared back at Abigail, a small smile crossed his lips as he whispered, "John Hancock, first American hoodlum and defender of the People. I might've still been high, but those clothes spoke to me, told me what I needed to do. I smashed the case, put them on, and started a new life. As Hancock."

     His cocky grin returned as he continued, "After that, I went clean for a bit, got organized, convinced Kleo to loan me some hardware. Got a crew of drifters together and headed out into the ruins, started training. Next time Vic's boys went on their tear, we'd be ready for 'em. The night of, we all got loaded, let Vic's boy get good and hammered, and burst from the windows and rooftops where we'd been hiding."  
Hancock's voice turned into a growl, "They never even saw it coming. We didn't have to fire a shot. We didn't have to. But we sure fucking did. It was a massacre. Once we'd mopped up, we strolled right into Vic's quarters in the State House, wrapped a rope around his neck, and threw him off the balcony. And there I am, gun in hand, draped in Hancock's duds, looking at all the people of Goodneighbor assembled below. I had to say something. That first time I said 'em, they didn't even feel like my words..."

     Hancock paused before saying, "Of the people. For the people."

     He gave Abigail a gentle nudge with his hand, the warmth returning to his eyes as he said, "Was my inaugural address. Became Mayor Hancock of Goodneighbor that day. And from then on, I vowed I'd never stand by and watch. Ever again."

     "But..." Abigail stared up at Hancock with confusion, "You fought so hard to become Mayor. Why leave?"

     With a grin, he said, "I ain't really the ponderous type. When an instinct takes hold, I listen. This time around, instinct said I should join up with you. Seems it was a good one."

     Abigail gave Hancock a small smile, "I guess so."

     "So to answer your question, sunshine. These clothes and I have a connection. At the time, it felt like John Hancock and I were dealing with the same shit. You could say I draw inspiration from them."

     In a playful voice, he continued, "I've answered your question, sister. Now it's your turn."

     "My reasoning isn't as noble as yours."

     "I'd still like to hear it."

     Abigail rested her chin on the back of her chair, staring up at Hancock, she said, "I take it you don't read a lot of ancient Greek literature."

     Hancock looked down at her with a blank stare, "What?"

    Abigail chuckled, "I'll take that as a 'no'. Well way back then, stripping your enemy of his armor during the heat of battle was seen as the ultimate in battle prowess. When I killed Kellogg, I wanted him to feel like he was less than nothing, so I started looting him while he was still choking on his own blood."

    Hancock studied her for a moment before saying, "Did they really do that, sister? Strip armor off _during_ battle? Doesn't seem practical."

    "The Greeks had a word for it: Kleos."

     "You've got to be shittin' me."

     "Why do you think I like Kleo so much?"

     Abigail and Hancock locked eyes for a moment before Abigail said quietly, "Honestly, Hancock, I don't fully understand why I did it. It was something I remember Nate telling me. But I do know why I continue to wear it. Kellogg was the Institute's right hand man, and I want all those bastard to know that it was me that killed him. And I'm coming for them next."

    Abigail turned in her chair and began typing on the computer once more. Hancock stared at the monitor from over her shoulder before saying, "So I take it, Nate taught you how to shoot?"

    Abigail smiled over her shoulder, before turning her attention back to the monitor, "Actually no, my dad did."

     Hancock raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

     "Yeah, most of what I know I learned from him. He was a big history buff. We used to talk about the revolutionaries while we cleaned our guns on the dining room table. Little did he know that one day I would be traveling with my own John Hancock."

     "Did he expect you to enlist or something?"

     "Nope. My dad was just teaching me the skills I would need to be independent. He always told me that he never wanted me to have to depend on a man. He wanted me to be with a man because I _loved_ him. Little did he know he was preparing me for the end of the world."

     The computer drew both of their attention with a small beep. "Finally!" Abigail said as she clicked away on the keyboard, "That's weird it says its online... Fuck!" Abigail sighed in frustration as she knocked the keyboard off the desk.

     "Did it lock you out?"

     "Worse." Abigail leaned back in her chair so Hancock could read the text that had appeared on the monitor.

      _For your safety, this database is now property of the Brotherhood of Steel._

     "They deleted everything, John."

     "Yeah... But they didn't _take_ everything."

      Abigail looked up in confusion only to see Hancock pointing to something behind her. Turning her head she could see a complete set of X-01 power armor tucked into a corner, surrounded by crates and a steamer trunk.

     "Holy shit..."

    "Better than a hazmat suit, sister?"

     "Definitely better than a hazmat suit..."


	25. Children of Atom

     "Here sniper, sniper..."

     Abigail chuckle was masked by her suit of power armor, "Does that ever work?"

     "Meh. Not really. But it's still amusing, sister."

     Abigail's heavy footsteps made quiet crunching noises as they crossed over the rubble of a ruined building. Lightning was still crackling above them as they continued their journey South.

     "Call me crazy... but I thought you would be a bit more useful."

     "Saving you from being crushed by an overgrown lizard and preventing you from becoming the sexiest feral in the Commonwealth isn't useful enough for you, sister?"

     Abigail laughed as she responded, "I was thinking... Oh I don't know... that you would be a bit more of a guide maybe? You said you'd been here before."

     Hancock flashed Abigail a cocky grin before saying, "Yeah, but I was also baked out of my mind."

     "I thought the radiation didn't give you a high?"

     "Yeah... Well it wasn't from a lack of trying. Who would have thought that a place with this much radiation could be so damn dull..."

     Abigail chuckled, "I doubt many come here for the night life."

     "Speaking of..." Hancock said with a smirk, "You know what the Glowing Sea needs? A bar. Badly."

     "Good luck getting a loan with that business plan."

     "Hold up, sister. You hear that?"

     Hancock and Abigail both stood in silence as they listened. Sure enough they could hear voices chanting on the other side of the ridge they were climbing. Once they had reached the top, they could see the remnants of the explosion that had rocked the Commonwealth centuries before. Rocky peaks jetted out in a giant ring around a pool of irradiated water shrouded in the Glowing Sea's green veil. Abigail would have thought they were above a dormant volcano, if she hadn't seen the blast moments before entering Vault 111.

     "Holy shit... so this is where the bombs fell?" Glancing back at Abigail, Hancock continued, "You better watch your step here, sister. Might end up looking like me."

     "Not that you would mind."

     Abigail could hear Hancock chuckle as she surveyed the crater.

     "What kind of dumb saps set up base in a dump like this?" Hancock said as he indicated to a few rickety shacks that dotted the crater. A few people dressed in rags could be seen strolling in and out of the buildings, while others were on their knees chanting.

     "Children of Atom."

     "Yeah, I should have guessed. So what's the plan, sister?"

     "I was thinking of just walking up to them and asking if an ex-Institute scientist has passed by."

     Hancock gave Abigail a skeptical look. Unable to see her face, he responded, "I can't tell if you're joking or not..."

     "You got a better idea? We can't really get information out of them if we just shoot them."

     Hancock's voice turned into a playful growl, "Well that just depends on _where_ you shoot them."

     He could practically hear Abigail rolling her eyes as she said, "Just stay here and give me some cover fire if I need it."

     "Oh yeah, make the guy with the shotgun provide cover fire. Smart."

     "Do you want to trade?"

     "No... But their weapons deal radiation damage. And resisting rads is kind of my specialty, sunshine. I should be the one going down there."

     "Forgot about the nuka grenades and pipe pistols, haven't you?"

     Hancock flashed her a cocky grin, "How did you know I was in the mood for a spiked Nuka-Cola?"

     Abigail let out an exasperated sighed before saying, "Okay two words: Power Armor. There. It's settled. You provide cover fire, I'll make first contact."

     "Still haven't provided a solution for my shotgun's minimal range, sister."

     "You're good at moving around undetected. Take some creative license."

     Abigail quickly got up and began walking down into the crater before Hancock could retort. As she passed by the first set of shacks, a few members of the Children of Atom gave her curious glances, but none approached or acknowledged her. Being the first time she had been this close to non-hostile Children of Atom, Abigail was grateful that her power armor hide the grimace on her face as she took note of the damage the radiation had done to them. Tuffs of hair were falling from their heads, radiation burns riddled their skin which was poorly hidden by the rags they wore.

     Against the edge of a ridge, a woman in front of one of the nicer shacks called out to Abigail as she approached, "Stop right there stranger. You approach Atom's holy ground. Why? State your purpose, or be divided in his sight."

     Abigail's power armor masked the look of skepticism on her face as she replied, "Holy ground? This place? Where millions of people were killed? What makes this place holy?"

     "Atom reached out and touched this world, bringing his Glow to us. It remains to this day, a reminder of his promise. Infinite worlds through division."

     "E=mc^2"

     "I am unfamiliar with that term, child."

     "Energy equals mass times the speed of light. Einstein's theory of relativity? It explains how a lot of energy can come from small amount of matter, uranium atoms in this case. Not really sure how you tied that into division, but I guess the atomic bomb did result from the splitting an atom. So maybe you're not that far off."

     "Although Atom's glow can not penetrate the shroud of lies you surround yourself with-"

     "Yeah that _glow_ is called radiation. It's caused by the gamma particles released from the decaying radioactive atoms."

     "What you speak of is blas-"

     "Everything alright here, sister?"

     Abigail leaned her head back with a sigh before turning to see Hancock walking up beside her. In an annoyed whisper, she said, "Nice cover fire, John."

     She could see Hancock's cocky grin from under the rim of his tricorn hat, "Yeah, I took some creative license. I was thinkin' you meant metaphorical cover fire."

      "Seriously?"

     "Yeah, your mom ever tell you: you get more bees with honey? What's with you? You're normally more charismatic then this."

     "Stupidity annoys me."

     "What did you expect? They're religious zealots."

     "Maybe I wasn't talking about them."

     "Now that's just cold, sunshine."

      Abigail and Hancock both looked up as they heard the women call out to them, "You did not mention that you were traveling with one of Atom's gifted. Please, come closer children."

     As Hancock and Abigail approached, they could see that this woman looked healthier than the other members, which wasn't saying much. She stared at them with piercing eyes, her face framed with short locks of grey hair.

     "I am called Mother Isolde. I am entrusted with the care of this most holy of grounds: the Crater of Atom." She paused as she glanced between them, "You're extensive knowledge of Atom's glow... And you're accompanied by one of Atom's gifted... You must be an oracle of Atom! Sent in his glory to guide us to better please Him!"

     Abigail and Hancock exchanged looks before Hancock replied, "Funny you should mention that, sister. We are on important Atom business. But-" Hancock raised his hand as the women began to reply, continuing,"Not about you guys, nah you guys are doing just fine out here in the middle of nowhere. Atom is very pleased with that. Atom wants us to find a man named Virgil. Do you know where we can find him?"

     Abigail stood dumbfounded as she watched Hancock and Isolde, grateful once again that her power armor shielded them from seeing the stupid look she knew was still painted on her face.

     Isolde cocked her head as she replied, "Virgil... Yes. We know this Virgil. He has sought refuge in Atom's glow. I would know more before I tell you where."

     "Yes, yes. Of course you know him. That is why Atom has sent us to speak to you, sister. He has information that is vital to our cause."

     "In truth, this Virgil has caused some concern. Some believe his presence is an affront to Atom... He came to trade with us on a few occasions, we have had little other contact with him. He is held up in a cave just south of here. I would tread carefully, brother. It was quite clear he wanted to be left alone."

     "Atom thanks you for your help, sister." Hancock said as he turned to leave, tugging at Abigail's arm. Once they had made some distance, she asked, "What the hell was that?"

     "Oh yeah, should have mentioned that those nuts are fascinated by ghouls."

     Looking back down the ridge, Abigail said in a dazed voice, "What? How did you know that?"

     Hancock flashed her a grin as he said, "Ran into them the last time I was here."

     "What the fuck, Hancock? I thought you said you were too high to remember anything!"

     "I might have popped some Mentats while I was following you and it jogged my memory."

     "So what happened?!"

     Hancock laughed as he said, "I told them I was on a spiritual journey. Explained why I was so baked and yeah... kinda ran with it. I have to say I found it hilarious at the time."

    "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

     "Come on, sister. Have I lied to you yet? Let's go find this Virgil. In the name of Atom and all that jazz."

     Abigail smirked as she gently shoved Hancock as she walked passed him, but with the added strength given to her by her suit of power armor, it caused Hancock to sprawl out on the ground behind her. He laughed as he slowly stood, brushing himself off.

     "What? No thank you kiss?" Hancock called out as he chased after her, both of their figures disappearing in the shroud of the Glowing Sea.


	26. Virgil

     "There's a cave up ahead, sister."

     Abigail looked to where Hancock was pointing. A cave was nestled in the middle of some rocks a few yards away from them. It had been a few hours since they had left Atom's Crater, wisps of green mist circled them as they approached.

     "Bet you 20 caps all we find in there are radscorpions..."

     "Where's your optimism, sunshine?"

      "I left it in the first ten caves we checked where all we found were... you guessed it: radscorpions."

      "Tell you what, sister. If Virgil isn't in this one, I say we go back, start breaking some limbs, and beat the information out of those nut jobs."

      "Don't tempt me."

     They both paused at the cave's entrance, a strange ticking noise could be heard from inside. Turning to Hancock, Abigail asked, "Those can't be... turrets?"

     "Still not optimistic?"

     "Stay behind me." Abigail said with a smirk, her power armor masking the humor in her voice as she entered the cave, she could hear Hancock mutter behind her, "Yeah, 'cause you always listen to me when I say that..."

     "One of the many perks of being the General, I don't have to be good at taking orders."

     Hancock chuckled as they passed by a few tin can chimes, before squinting his eyes, "I see the owner of this place didn't take into consideration that some people might be nursing hangovers."

     "No bar in the Glowing Sea, remember?"

      Abigail looked up at the spotlight shining down on them before glancing around, a few turrets purred nearby but remained non hostile.

      "Can chimes... Turrets... This is looking more and more like a raider den."

     "Wonder if they're bugged out..." Hancock said as he nudged one of the turrets with his boot.

     They passed by another set of chimes before entering a large chamber, lab equipment that seemed out of place was scattered around the walls and a protectron patrolled nearby. Futuristic tech mixed with a primitive shelter. The whole thing was just... _weird_. Abigail slowly turned in a circle as she took in this strange phenomenon, could this really be where Virgil has been hiding? And if so, where was he?

     As if summoned by her thoughts, a large green figure stepped out from behind a pillar in the center of the chamber, his voice barely above a growl, "I know you're from the Institute, so where's Kellogg? Huh? Trying to sneak up on me while you distract me? It's not going to work!"

     Hancock instinctively raised his shotgun, staring down his sights as he said, "Take it easy there, big guy. Kellogg's dead. I take it you're Virgil then?"

     Abigail cocked her head as she stared at the... person? Super mutant? The guy honestly looked like the Hulk had stopped his transformation halfway. He wore torn trousers held together with various ropes and tie down straps adorned with random bits of lab equipment and mechanical tools, glasses sat askew on his nose tied to his head by a piece of string.

     The beast's forehead wrinkled as if deep in thought, "Dead? He's... dead?" Shaking his head, he yelled, "Don't you lie to me! I know the Institute sent you!"

     "He's not lying. I killed him myself." Abigail stated, holding her hands up as Virgil turned his focus on her. "Hold on one second and I think I can make things a whole lot simpler."

     A hiss came from her power armor as she slowly exited. Stepping out from behind it, a look of realization crossed Virgil's face.

     "That's... Kellogg's armor? How did you get it?"

     Abigail smirked as she replied, "You could say I got it over his dead body."

     Virgil's voice sounded dazed as he said, "Kellogg was ruthless... There's a reason the Institute used him to do their dirty work for so many years. I knew they'd send him after me; tried to prepare for it. But I still wasn't sure I'd make it..."

     "Yeah about that..." Hancock said as he lowered his shotgun, "Think your turrets are broken."

     Ignoring Hancock, Virgil continued to stare at Abigail, "And so you... You killed him, eh? Then what do you want with me?"

     "I know the Institute uses teleportation to get in and out, I am hoping you can explain to me how I can do the same."

     "Well, well... Not many know about about that. Pretty closely guarded secret. You've certainly done your homework. It's commonly referred to as the 'Molecular Relay.' I don't understand all the science behind it, but it works."

     "Clearly..." Hancock muttered as he took a cigarette from his frock, cupping his hand over his mouth as he lit it.

     Virgil continued as if he hadn't heard him, "De-materializes you in one place, re-materializes you in another. I'm sure it sounds crazy, but it's a reality."

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she listened to Virgil's speech, unable to stop herself she said, "Yes, yes... I know it's real because I've _seen_ it. Now how can I do it?"

     Abigail and Hancock could see a look of annoyance on Virgil's face as he finished, "The Relay is the only way in and out of the Institute. You understand? The only one. Even if you got in, it would mean certain death. What reason could you possibly have for taking that kind of risk?"

     Abigail's voice was cold as she replied, "The Institute kidnapped my son... I won't stop until I find him."

     The annoyance melted away from Virgil's face, "Oh... Oh no. I had no idea. I'm sorry." Turning his head to watch the protectron walk by, he continued, "Yeah, the Institute has taken people from the Commonwealth in the past. If your son is one of them... I can understand why you'd want to get in there..."

     His gaze returned to Abigail as he said, "I'll help you the best I can, but you are going to have to do something for me."

     Abigail didn't even hesitate before saying, "Anything."

     Blowing a puff of smoke into the air, Hancock leaned toward Abigail, whispering, "Hold the phone a second there, sister. Every time I hear those words, it usually ends with two people getting naked. He's a big dude, sunshine, I don't want him doing let's say... _permanent_ damage to a very _sensitive_ area..."

      Abigail rolled her eyes, pushing Hancock away before looking back at Virgil, repeating, " _Anything_."

     "Before I was forced to leave, I was working on a serum to reverse this mutation. It could return me to normal. You understand? So if you get in there, I need you to find it in my old office, and bring it to me."

     Turning his focus to Hancock, Virgil continued, "I think that's pretty reasonable, in exchange for helping you. And no one has to get naked."

     Hancock chuckled as he flicked ashes from his cigarette, "Nice to see that mutation hasn't taken away your sense of humor. It's the spice of life, after all..."

     Abigail cocked her head as she stared at Virgil, a few of her brown locks freed themselves from her shoulders and fell along her chest, "And this serum... will make you human again? Can it be replicated?"

     "I specially designed it to reverse my condition, but with a few more decades of refinement it may work on more than one strand of FEV. But with this sorry excuse for a laboratory..." Vigil paused as his eyes darted around the cave, "It may take longer."

     "Amazing..." Abigail paused as she considered the possibilities. The Minutemen could shoot Super Mutants with syringe rifles or if they could turn the serum into a gas...

     "One monumental problem at a time, sister." Hancock said as he pulled Abigail out of her trance.

     Virgil low voice vibrated through the cavern, "Now, have you ever seen an Institute Courser?"

     Abigail paused as she thought, "Umm... I'm not sure? What's that?"

     Abigail fought the urge to roll her eyes as Virgil stated dramatically, "Another Institute secret. Coursers are Institute synths, designed for one purpose... They're hunters." Virgil paused before continuing, "Operations go wrong, a synth goes missing, and a Courser is dispatched. They're very good at what they do, and you're going to have to kill one."

     "Now this is finally getting interesting." Hancock said, taking another drag from his cigarette.

     Pinching the bridge of her nose, Abigail muttered, "Just point me in the right direction."

     "I suppose your enthusiasm counts for something... Every Courser has special hardware that gives them a direct connection to the Relay in the Institute. It's embedded in a chip in their heads. You need that chip."

     "Okay..." Abigail said, lifting her head to look back at Virgil, "Where can I find a Courser?"

     "I don't know exactly where you can find one. But the primary insertion point for Coursers is in the ruins of CIT, directly above the Institute. So you'll want to head there. The Relay causes some pretty heavy interference all across the EM spectrum. You've got a radio on that Pip-Boy, right?"

     "...Yes?"

     "When you get to the ruins, tune it to the lower end of the band and listen in. You'll be able to hear the interference. Follow the signal, and it'll lead you to a Courser. Then you have to... not get killed."

     "Seriously? No shit Sherlock." Hancock said as he exhaled smoke from what was left of his nose.

     Abigail turned to Hancock, an amused smirk crossing her lips, "Do you even know who Sherlock Holmes is?"

     Hancock chuckled as he took another drag off his cigarette, holding his breath before emitting more smoke, "I may not be as smart as you, sunshine. But I _can_ read."

     Virgil's irritated voice drew both of their attention as he said, "You guys could take this a bit more seriously. Not going to lie, the odds aren't in your favor here. Not to mention I'm risking my life here too."

     "No, no, no..." Hancock's raspy voice turned into a growl as he flicked more ashes from his cigarette, "Me and her? We're the best thing to happen to you since you escaped your nest of eggheads. Without us there would be no hope of you getting that serum and who knows maybe Kellogg would have already paid you a little visit. So how about you show the lady some gratitude?"

     "It's a good thing your survival and my humanity aren't at stake, otherwise I might be annoyed by your attitude..." Virgil paused as he stared between them, "Anyways, I unfortunately won't be able to translate the Courser chip with the equipment I have here, but I can draw up what I remember about the Molecular Relay device..."

     Virgil turned to a drawing table he had tucked into one of the cave's many nooks and crannies. Taking out a ruler and pencil from his jury rigged sash, he began drawing out the plans for the teleportation device.

     Having a moment to themselves, Abigail looked at Hancock with confusion as she whispered, "What happened to 'getting more bees with honey'?"

     "Stupidity annoys me."

     Abigail couldn't help but smile as she tried not to laugh, "You better not be talking about me..."

     "I wouldn't dream of it, sunshine." Hancock said with a grin, tossing his cigarette on the ground and stomping it out with the heel of his boot.

     They exchanged a smile as they waited for Virgil to finish.

     "This is all I remember about the device, some of the materials will be difficult to find, but it should work. And if you do make it into the Institute remember what I said about the serum. I need it, badly."

     Virgil paused as he handed the schematics to Abigail. Towering over her, he said, "I... I really do hope you find what you're looking for."

     "Thank you, Virgil. I won't forget this." Abigail glanced over to Hancock as she turned to climb back into her power armor. Unable to ignore Hancock's cocky grin, she asked, "What?"

     "Looks like you owe me 20 caps, sister."


	27. The Great Green Jewel

     "Diamond City, huh? You know they ain't real fond of ghouls in this town."

     Abigail could barely hear Hancock as the gate to Diamond City sprang to life, rattling loudly as it was lifted out of their way. Walking to edge of the entrance, Abigail exited her power armor, responding, "Well, they can shove their anti-ghoul rhetoric on someone else until our business is done here."

     "This where you're selling the eggs, sister?"

     Pulling out the fusion core from her power armor and tucking it away safely into her pack, Abigail said, "That would be correct. You know Wellingham?"

     "That polished turd is still kicking?"

     Abigail chuckled as she began walking toward the security desk. Smirking over her shoulder at Hancock as she said, "Well he's our buyer. I guess the who's who of Diamond City are willing to pay up the ass for his Deathclaw Wellingham."

     Abigail pulled a few caps from her pack and set them on the counter, a charming smile crossed her face as she looked over the counter to a young man, who was barely old enough to grow a beard, dressed in a Diamond City security uniform.

      "Hey Danny, do you mind watching my power armor for a minute?"

     Wind blown brown hair framed his face, a severe lack of confidence was easily identified in those brown eyes as the man replied, "Sure thing Abigail, but your friend-" Danny paused as he looked nervously over Abigail's shoulder toward Hancock, before continuing, "-is gonna have to wait outside. Sorry."

     Hancock watched as Abigail's smile faltered before she recovered herself, replying sweetly, "Come on, Danny. We'll be in and out in no time, please?"

     "Sorry, Abigail. I have my orders."

     Abigail sighed, not bothering to shield her irritation, "Fine, then I guess the next time I see Diamond City Security pinned down by Super Mutants, I'll just keep walking. Why risk my neck for you, when you clearly won't do the same for me?"

     Danny opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when a masked guard appeared next to Abigail saying, "I got this Sullivan..." Looking Abigail up and down, the guard leaned against the counter his voice almost a purr as he said, "Well hello there, beautiful."

     A smirk crossed Abigail's lips as she replied, "Well hello there, Pierce."

     Hancock could feel his hands clenching into fists as the guard's deep laugh echoed off the walls around them, "How many times do I have to tell you: call me Carter."

     Yeah, there were other things Hancock wanted to call him. He watched as Abigail crossed her arms, saying, "And how many times do I have to tell you: I have a name. It's Abigail." Abigail paused as she raised an eyebrow at Carter, "You gonna let us in or what?"

     "Like I told you before, you're our kind of gal. I'll run interference with McDonough if he sees you."

     "Thank you, _Carter_."

     "One of these times, you're gonna have to let me buy you a drink at the Dugout Inn."

     Hancock felt an anger begin to burn inside him. What the hell was she doing? He knew he wouldn't be able to watch this much longer. Hancock already found himself imagining all the ways he could shut Carter up. Gagging him with a catcher's mitt was his favorite at the moment.

     Abigail's playful voice pulled Hancock's focus as she said, "You realize I've never seen what you look like, right?"

     Carter took another step toward her, looking down at her as his deep voice cut through his mask as he replied, "We could always change that."

     "I like the mystery." Abigail said with a smirk, turning on her heel and walking through the passageway that lead to Diamond City. Hancock gave Carter another glare before following Abigail. When he finally caught up with her, he asked, "What the hell was that?"

     Abigail paused, raising an eyebrow at Hancock before saying, "What? It got us in."

     Hancock couldn't hold in his anger any longer. Before he could stop himself, he replied, "So you just flirt to get what you want?"

     Mild confusion caused Abigail eyebrows to furrow together, "Don't you?"

     "I have the decency to not do it right in front of you."

     "John, think about it. If I had blown him off, the next time we showed up he might not let us in."

     "So what?" Hancock spat, "Why do you give a fuck?"

     "I'm the general of the Minutemen, Hancock. I can't afford to burn bridges."

     Hancock scoffed as he turned away from her. They stood at the top of the ramp leading down to Diamond City, shack roofs blocked their view of the maze of alleyways that Hancock hadn't seen in years but still knew like the back of his hand. The sun peeked from behind the smoke that billowed from the noodle stand in the center of the market place. Hancock looked to his left to the Upper Stands, where all the pompous shits lived. His eyes continued to skim across the Diamond City skyline until they rested on Abigail once more. She didn't look angry like he had expected her to be. She simply stared at him, her eyes were calm and calculating, as if she were taking his argument apart in her mind piece by piece.

     "John... I grew up in a man's world. I could have sat around and bitched about it, but that wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. Fluffing a man's ego and a flirtatious exchange of words got me in the door, but it was my smarts and wit that made me successful."

     Hancock knew her words made sense, but that didn't filter his annoyance with her. All Hancock knew was that he wanted her to feel the same irritation that he felt as he muttered, "I didn't realize you had to sleep your way to the top to be a decent lawyer."

     And then she laughed. Abigail laughed that musical laugh that he had found so charming before but right now all it did was make him more irritated. Why wasn't she angry? Why didn't she lash back at him?

     "I suppose many thought I did, but no, Hancock. I've only ever had sex with one man. And it was Nate."

     Hancock stood in disbelief as he stared into those copper eyes. He had basically called her a whore and she just _laughed_. Her dead husband had been brought up and still she didn't lash out at him. Was she just manipulating him? Like she had done to Carter?

     His words felt like acid on his tongue as he spat, "Is this a fucking game to you?"

     Abigail's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, she cocked her head as she asked, "Is that how you feel?"

     "What the hell am I supposed to think, Abigail?" Pointing down the corridor they had just exited, Hancock yelled, "I almost had that exact conversation with you back in Goodneighbor! Were you just manipulating me then like you just did to that masked fuck?"

     Abigail stared back at Hancock, there was still no anger in those brown eyes as they locked with Hancock's. Her voice was calm as she replied, "Yes."

     Hancock could feel himself fuming as he broke eye contact with her. He had dropped everything to help this damsel in distress, when all along she was manipulating him. Hancock's thoughts moved to their kiss on the freeway overpass, then to their night in the underground bunker. Was any of it real? Or was she just using him?

     Abigail soft voice brought his attention back to her as she said, "What was I supposed to do, Hancock? All I knew about you was your reputation, I was trying to protect myself."

     "Was any of it real?"

     Hancock could see hurt pool in Abigail's eyes, "Of course it was real, John. All of it. I've never lied to you. Ever."

     Hancock wanted to believe her. He badly wanted to believe her, but didn't want to be a dump sap lead on by a pair of doe eyes. Even if they were Abigail's.

     "How can I believe you? What separates me from Pierce?"

     The silence that followed his words was almost painful. He watched as Abigail looked away from him toward the Diamond City's skyline, moments that seemed like an eternity passed before she finally said, "It's hard for me to open myself up to someone..."

     Hancock found himself holding his breath as she continued, "I was nervous when we first met, John. I didn't know what you wanted from me. And it seems like everyone wants something from me these days. But whatever manipulation I did, it ended that night we had drinks. You didn't have an ulterior motive like I thought you would. You dropped all your responsibilities, all your problems, for me. You saved my life, Hancock. And when you could have let me become a ghoul, you did what you knew I wanted and didn't allow your judgement to become clouded by your own desires..."

     Hancock had moved closer to her without realizing it. He raised his hand to caress her cheek, his voice a low whisper as he said, "Kiss me."

    His gaze trailed down to her lips as she weakly replied, "What?"

    "You heard me..." His voice turned into a playful growl as his lips met hers. After a moment of tender kisses, Abigail's lips parted, allowing his tongue to flicker in and out. Hancock's hand trailed along her body, resting on her hips as their kiss deepened. He could feel Abigail's arms wrap around his neck, her tongue playfully dancing with his. He wanted her closer. He wanted to be deeper. Grabbing both of her thighs, he picked her up and carried her to the railing beside them. Leaning her over the railing, he could feel Abigail grip around him tighten, her ankles locking behind him as she pulled herself closer to him. He could feel the heat of her even through her clothes against his hard cock. A muffled moan escaped her lips as he rubbed it against her. Fuck, he wanted her. Badly.

     "Citizens are asked to maintain respectable behaviors while in public."

 _Fuck_... Hancock could identify that entitled voice a mile away. _McDonough_. He could feel Abigail stiffen under him, her grip around him tightened as she broke their kiss to look over his shoulder at Mayor McDonough. Hancock didn't acknowledge him, leaning his face into Abigail's hair as he kiss along her neck, "Stick around Mayor, you might learn a thing or two."

     He could feel Abigail's skin flush under his touch. Carefully covering the skin of Hancock's neck with her arms, Abigail said,"Got caught in the moment, McDonough. Don't fret, we'll be gone within the hour."

     "See to that."

     Hancock waited until McDonough's fat footsteps faded away before looking up. Abigail cheek's were still flushed as Hancock playfully kissed her, saying, "If there's one thing my brother's good at, it's killing a good mood."

     "How did he _not_ notice you were a ghoul?"

     Hancock set Abigail on her feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he lead her to the Upper Stands, "Lucky for us, he didn't show up any later..." Hancock paused, before nestling his face in Abigail's hair, whispering in her ear, "When _certain_ articles of clothing would have been missing."

     A giggle escaped Abigail's lips as they finished their climb up the ramp, large shacks were stacked on top of each other to their right and green picket fencing outlined an eating area to their left. A Mr. Handy could be seen hovering from table to table. It turned as Abigail and Hancock approached, it's three eyes focusing on Abigail.

     In it's typical British programmed accent, it stated, "Well, well... If it isn't the gunny people." Glancing at Hancock, it added, "I can see your choice of company hasn't improved."

     "Charmed as always, Wellingham." Abigail said as she set her pack on the ground, pulling out the deathclaw eggs and gingerly placing them on a nearby table, "Got three more for you."

     "I trust these are in better condition than your last shipment?" Wellingham's circuits whirled as he examined the eggs, "Hmm... I see you have finally learned how to properly transport merchandise... About time... I'll get your caps."

     Abigail smiled sweetly, ignoring the Mr. Handy's blatant rudeness, "Not so fast, Wellingham. The price just went up."

     Abigail could hear Hancock chuckle behind her as the robot paused for a moment, hovering in place as he eyed her, "Our negotiated fee was 300 caps per egg. I shouldn't have to remind you, yet clearly I do, that that price is well above market value." Wellingham paused as he changed his focus to Hancock, "Certainly more than your kind deserve."

     "Perhaps... But these eggs are special. They were laid by an albino deathclaw."

     If Wellingham was capable of rolling his eyes, he would have done so then, as he said, "And I'm supposed to take your word for it? You rabble are not known for your honesty."

     Abigail's smile widened as she reached a hand into her pack, "I wouldn't dream of it, Wellingham." Tossing the albino deathclaw's hand on the table beside the eggs, it landed with a loud clatter, drawing the attention of patrons nearby.

     Wellingham's circuits buzzed with irritation as he said, "Be that as it may... This is a proper establishment, not a Lower Stand market. Haggling is not permitted here."

     Abigail's smile was still on her face as she looked to Hancock, their eyes locking for a moment before Abigail said nonchalantly, "Well I'd hate to disrespect such a fine establishment with my shrewd haggling... I suppose I'll just have to sell my merchandise else where."

     "Now you are just grasping at straws. No one in Diamond City will offer you a higher price."

     Abigail ignored him as she looked to Hancock, asking, "Hey Hancock, what do you think these fine patrons of the Upper Stands will feel when their prized delicacy is being sold at the ghastly Dugout Inn? Or better yet, maybe I'll cook you up my own _a la Wellingham_ and we'll eat in on the ramp up to the Upper Stands."

     Hancock smirked as he leaned against the green picket fence, with a playful growl he replied, "A ghoul eating better than the pompous assholes of the Upper Stands? Oh there'll be a mutiny..."

     Abigail smirked from under her tricorn hat as she drew tiny circles over the deathclaw eggs as she said, "They'll think you're cheap, Wellingham..." Abigail paused as she looked up at the Mr. Handy. With a slightly raised voice, she asked him, "Are you cheap, Wellingham?"

     Wellingham looked around the eating establishment to the patrons that were watching their exchange, in a lowered voice he asked, "What's your price?"

     "600 caps."

     The Mr. Handy hovered in front of them, a long silence passed before he muttered, "I'll get your bloody caps." Before disappearing behind the doorway of Colonial Taphouse.

     The few patrons that had been watching turned their attention back to their meals as Hancock walked beside Abigail. He leaned over the railing. Looking back at her, Hancock said with a smirk, "Gotta tell ya, sunshine. That was the sexiest exchange I've seen in awhile."

     Abigail turned to face the railing, watching the citizens of the Lower Stands moving about the Market Center below, "I know how these people work. Even after 200 years, the city's elite haven't changed much."

     Hancock pulled a pack of cigarettes from his flock, tapping one into his hand before tucking the case safely away. He cupped his hand over his mouth as he lit it, taking a few puffs before asking, "I'm not proud of what I said earlier, sunshine. I hope you can forgive me."

     "I'm sorry too, John. I didn't mean to disrespect you."

     Hancock took another drag from his cigarette, holding his breath before blowing a cloud of smoke off the balcony, "I know this is going to seem petty... But why didn't you get angry?"

     A small smile crossed Abigail's lips as she glanced sideways at Hancock, "I could imagine how you felt. If I had insulted you, we would have just fed off each other's anger. You may have stormed off. And the thought of losing you... It scares me too, John. I don't want to be left with only a memory."

     Hancock could feel the sting of guilt pierce him. He had insulted her and she just took it because she cared for him. What could he have possibly done to deserve her? The list sure wasn't long, but he was willing to spend a lifetime proving it to her. Trailing his fingers along her cheek, he whispered, "You really are one of a kind, sunshine."

     Her smile grew to a grin as she responded in a playful voice, "I'll have you know. You're the only one I've ever agreed to have drinks with... At least in this century."

     Hancock chuckled as he brushed a few strands of hair from her face, "I believe you, sunshine." Their eyes locked together as they exchanged a smile before they heard Wellingham's familiar hum as he approached them, caps in hand.

     "I'll have you know this is a _nonsmoking_ establishment. I would put up signs if I thought you were capable of learning to read."

     Abigail turned to Wellingham, a giggle escaped her lips as she took her caps, saying, "Oh Wellingham, has anyone ever told you what an absolute ham you are?"

     "How mundane... did you think of that one all by yourself?"

     Hancock chuckled as he flicked his cigarette off the edge of the balcony. As they turned to leave, Wellingham asked irritably, "I trust you are taking that mutilated limb with you?"

     Abigail laughed as she continued to walk away, "You're programmed to clean. Deal with it yourself."

     "Actually..." Hancock said as he took the claw off the table. Glancing over to Abigail, he asked, "You mind if I take it, sister?"

     Abigail shrugged as she replied, "Help yourself."

     Hancock turned the claw over in his hands as he followed Abigail down the ramp, hearing Wellingham mutter, "How apropos..." as they left.


	28. The Noisy Reporter

     "Hey sister. Got a minute?"

     Abigail paused at the base of the ramp that lead to the Upper Stands. Turning to face Hancock, she playfully responded, "You could say I'm the general of minutes. I suppose I can spare a few... for you anyways."

     "How generous..." Hancock chuckled as he stood over Abigail, "I was hoping we could stop by Goodneighbor. Wanted to make sure Fahrenheit hasn't burned the place down."

     Abigail paused as she imagined Hancock's steel eyed bodyguard chasing someone down the alleyways of Goodneighbor with a flamethrower in hand. Perhaps that's how Fahrenheit got her nickname. Abigail smiled as she looked up at him, "Has that happened before?"

     "Meh, some chem stations have exploded in the past and left a few scorch marks, but all the original buildings are still standing." Hancock's voice turned into a playful growl as he said, "So how 'bout it, sister?"

     "I wouldn't want to deny the citizens of Goodneighbor their upstanding mayor..." Abigail chuckled as she turned toward Diamond City's market place, "We just have one more errand before we leave then."

     "And what's that, sister?"

     "I need someone to deliver the schematics to Sanctuary Hills."

      Hancock's raised an eyebrow as he walked beside Abigail, "You really gonna trust someone with those after everything we went through to get 'em?"

      "I have someone in mind." Abigail said with a smirk as she opened the door to Publick Occurrences. As they both entered, the hum of a printing press could be heard in the back of the small building, while a woman sat on a yellow sofa tucked in the corner. She wore a red coat, black locks of hair stopped at her shoulders, kept in place by a press cap. Standing as they entered, she said to Abigail, "Hey there, Blue. Heading my way?"

     "Hey Piper, I have a favor to ask..." Abigail paused when Piper looked over her shoulder toward Hancock. Raising an eyebrow, Piper said, "Well if it isn't my second least favorite mayor in the Commonwealth. Never thought you would walk into _my_ office for a change..."

     Turning her focus back on Abigail, Piper asked, "What kind of favor, Blue?"

     "I take it Nick told you about the Memory Den?"

     Piper's eyes widened as she instinctively said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

     Abigail chuckled as she said, "It's alright, Piper. I told Nick to tell you everything. You wanted the exclusive, right?"

     "Well, now that you say that. What happened? Did you find Virgil?"

     "You're gonna love this story, sister." Hancock said with a cocky grin as he took a seat on the sofa.

     "Oh really? How did an ex-Institute scientist survive out there anyways?" Piper said as she turned to face Abigail.

     "Turns out Virgil exposed himself to a specific strain of FEV, turning himself into a Super Mutant while maintaining his cognitive reasoning."

     "Oh man! I can see the headline now..." Piper chuckled as she motioned above her head, "A Modern Case of Jekyll and Hyde: The Story of One Escaped Institute Scientist's Journey Through the Glowing Sea!"

      Abigail squinted as she looked up at the ceiling, "That title might need some work..."

     "Perhaps..." Piper chuckled, "But the question remains: is Virgil Jekyll or Hyde? Is he going to help us?"

     Hancock let out a laugh, "If you had seen this guy, you'd know the answer to that..."

     "Hancock, you surprise me..." Piper said as she glanced his way, "Didn't think you knew how to read..."

     Hancock cocked an eyebrow as he said, "You know you're the third person to insinuate that I can't read. Startin' to think there's a conspiracy going around about me..." Hancock changed his focus to Abigail as he continued, "But what can I say? I'm a man of many talents..."

     Hancock and Abigail exchanged a smile before Abigail turned to Piper once more, "Virgil has a way in, but it's going to sound crazy."

     Piper rolled her eyes as she scoffed, "Crazy? Blue, please... I'll follow an investigation anywhere."

     "Which is why I'm here..." Abigail smiled as she took the schematics out of her pack, unrolling them as Piper watched from over her shoulder.

     "Hmm... What's that for?" Piper said curiously, standing on her tiptoes to peer over Abigail's shoulder.

     "It's plans for building a teleportation device. Problem is: I'm going to need a chip from an Institute Courser..."

     Piper sighed as she attempted to read the schematics, "I always was a little jealous of people who could craft more than a paragraph..."

     Abigail laughed as she looked over her shoulder at Piper, "I say the words: teleportation and courser, and you don't even blink..."

     "Nothing to do with the Institute surprises me anymore..." Piper raised an eyebrow as she looked from Hancock to Abigail, "Can I talk to you for a sec, Blue?"

     Hancock chuckled as he took his knife from his frock, twirling it through his fingers as he said, "Isn't that what we've been doing for the past ten minutes, sister?"

     "Alone?"

     Piper grabbed Abigail by the arm and began pulling her to the back of the office, Hancock chuckled as the two girls left, "Taking up with little miss reporter, huh? I'm jealous..."

     Piper squinted her eyes at Hancock, "I can't tell if that's a compliment... Or a pick up line... So yeah we're gonna go..."

     Hancock chuckled as he began picking under his nails with his knife, his voice a playful growl, "You misunderstood me, Piper. I'm not jealous of Abigail... I'm jealous of you... Ain't that right, sunshine?"

     Abigail stifled a laugh as Piper rolled her eyes, "Real charming, Hancock..."

     Once the two of them reached the back of the room, Piper whispered, "Please tell me that kind of cheesy charm doesn't have an effect on you? You know he has a bad reputation..."

     "Come on, Piper. You know you're my kind of noisy, but you're starting to sound like Preston."

     "Well maybe that's because we have a valid point..."

     "I trust him, Piper. That should be enough."

     Piper sighed as she looked over to the sofa where Hancock was sitting, "It is, Blue. So what's the favor?"

     "I need you to give these schematics to Sturges in Sanctuary Hills and..." Abigail paused as she rifled through her pack. Pulling out a bag full of caps and holding it out to Piper as she finished saying, "And I need you to give this to Preston."

     "Holy shit!" Piper's eyes bugged out as she took the bag of caps, "Listen Blue, I don't know what he's-" Piper glanced over to Hancock, who was still picking his fingernails with his knife, before continuing, "-getting you into, but it's not too late. I can help you! You've done so much for me... And for Nat... It's the least I can do!""

     "Piper..."

     Piper's eyes widened as she continued to ramble, "Oh God! That's why you brought him here. I should have seen it! Don't worry! I'll get you out of here!"

     "Piper..."

     Piper grabbed Abigail by the arm and began pulling her up the stairs to the exit on the second story, "I hope he hasn't integrated you into-"

     "Piper!" Abigail yelled as she freed herself from Piper's grasp.

     "What?" Piper stared back at Abigail in confusion.

     "Seriously?" Abigail said with a grin.

      "I don't know if I should feel flattered or insulted..." Both girls looked back to see Hancock standing at the bottom of the stairs, his classic cocky smirk planted on his face as he watched them.

     "Then where the hell did you get all these caps?" Piper said as she shook the bag of caps at Hancock.

     "You remember when we investigated the Museum of Witchcraft?" Abigail chuckled as she watched Piper's expression change from one of suspicion to understanding.

     Piper leaned her head back as she sighed, "And we found that deathclaw egg?"

     "Yup."

     "And you sold it to Wellingham?"

     "Yup."

     "Jeez Blue..." Piper said as she looked back at Abigail, "How many eggs did you find?"

     "Three."

     Piper glanced down at the bag of caps, "This is way more than 900 caps."

     "These ones were special."

     "Oh yeah I bet..." Piper chuckled.

     "Ever seen an albino deathclaw, sister?" Hancock said as he leaned against the shack wall.

     "No way... Blue? Is he serious?" Piper said as she changed her focus from Hancock to Abigail. She grinned when Abigail nodded her head, "I have to write a story about this! The story behind _A la Wellingham_! One women's-"

     "And ghoul's..." Hancock added.

     "Ugh... now I lost my train of thought..." Piper said as she gave Hancock a scowl. "Anyways... You'll have to give me all the juicy details on the walk out. I'm getting stir crazy..."

     The three of them left Publick Occurrences together. Hancock telling Piper the valiant tale of his and Abigail's epic battle with the albino deathclaw while they made their way to the entrance of Diamond City. Stopping next to Abigail's power armor, Abigail took a fusion core from her pack and handed it to Piper as Hancock finished, "And just as the thing raises it's arms to deliver the killing blow... Abigail raises her laser musket and BAM!" Hancock indicates he's shooting as he finished, "She shoots the beast right in the belly. The thing is about to crush her until _yours truly_ came to the rescue."

     Piper took out a notepad and jotted down a few lines before saying, "My readers are going to love this... Finally an article no one will bitch about-" Piper continued in a mocking voice, "-'Oh, Piper, why don't you write anything happy?' Ha! Let's hear them say anything negative about this one..."

     After putting away her notepad, Piper took the fusion core from Abigail and slid it into the power armor. Abigail smiled as she asked, "Are you sure you don't want to ask Nick to come with you?"

     Piper shook her head as she climbed in, the power armor sealing around her. Straightening herself up, she said, "Nick's super synth senses must have been tingling... He already headed out to Sanctuary Hills a few days ago. I'll meet him there."

     Raising an eyebrow Abigail asked, "You going to be alright on your own?"

     Piper's voice was muffled by her power armor as she said, "I promise to use my robot powers for good. Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

     "See you soon, Piper." Abigail smiled as Piper turned to leave. Glancing back at Hancock, Abigail raised an eyebrow, "So... to Goodneighbor?"

     "To Goodneighbor..." Hancock playfully growled, wrapping his arm around Abigail's shoulders, as they began their journey East to Goodneighbor.


	29. The Common

     "Hey. This is the Common. You sure you don't wanna go around?"

     Abigail didn't respond as she rested her arms on the wrought iron fencing that bordered Swan's Pond. They had left Diamond City a few hours ago and were cutting through Boston Common on their way to Goodneighbor. As Abigail's gaze traveled through the park, she couldn't help but compare it to it's former glory. The pond's once clear waters were saturated in radiation, littered with debris and algae. Sparse vegetation was barely shaded by barren trees. The grass had been greener back then. Literally.

     Hancock's hands grasped the fence on either side of Abigail, his arms encircling her as he asked, "Did you hear me, sunshine?"

     "I used to come here alot." Abigail's voice was barely more than a whisper as her gaze moved from the pond to the ruined pavilion beside it, two hundred years of dust and grime had dulled it's white marble, while clumps of moss hung from it's roof.

     Hancock rested his chin on Abigail's shoulder as he followed her gaze across the park. Struggling to find words, he said, "I bet it was a lot prettier back then."

     A weak smile crossed Abigail's lips as she said, "That's an understatement." Nodding toward the pavilion, she added, "Nate and I were married there."

     Hancock stared at the pavilion as he wondered just how long it had been since Abigail had woken from her cryogenic slumber. She spoke of her dead husband with an ease that he suspected only came with time. Or maybe she just played it off that way. Abigail had a talent of hiding behind her charms. Hancock's thoughts moved to when he had watched her in Vault 111, to the pain and despair he had seen in those copper eyes. He knew those emotions were still fresh in her heart, even if she did hide it behind a curtain of smiles and wit.

     Hancock never wanted Abigail to feel like she had to hide from him. He wanted to know everything about her and he wanted Abigail to feel safe enough to tell him, without reservations or doubts. Leaning his head against hers, his voice sounded foreign to his ears as he said, "I can't imagine what it must have felt like when you left that vault... How did you cope?"

     A soft breeze sent wisps of chestnut hair across Abigail's face as she glanced over her shoulder to meet Hancock's eyes. A silence passed between them as Abigail's gaze faltered. Gently cupping her chin in his hand, Hancock guided Abigail's gaze to meet his once more, his raspy voice sending shivers down her spine as he said, "You can tell me anything, sunshine."

     "Honestly, John, I don't know..." Abigail paused as she became transfixed on Hancock's inky black eyes, "I just knew I had to keep going. So I forced myself through the motions. It got to the point where it felt like I was watching myself live my life."

     Abigail closed her eyes as she leaned into Hancock's chest, "After Preston asked me to become general, I had another task I could throw myself into and it really felt like I was doing something for my son. It felt like something my husband would have done. But after coming back from a mission, I found myself wandering down to that damned vault... That's when reality finally caught up with me. My husband was dead. My son was gone. I had failed them. I didn't know where to go or what to do. So I did nothing, but drink and cry... I don't know how long I was down there before Preston finally dragged me back to the surface."

     Abigail's eyes fluttered open as she turned to face Hancock. Leaning against the fence, she finished, "That's why I can't stop moving forward. If I stop... I might lose myself."

     Hancock was familiar with how Abigail felt. Hell, he had spent almost his entire life running from one thing or another. Trailing his fingers along her cheek, his voice was low as he said, "You gotta be careful when you spend your life running, sunshine. I would know. Running was what made me into a damn ghoul."

     The raw emotion in Abigail's voice was replaced with curiosity as she asked, "What? How?"

     "Well, I mean..." Hancock's voice turned into a playful growl, "I didn't always look this good..."

     Hancock's smile disappeared from his face as he continued, "The drug that did this to me, that made me a ghoul, I knew what it was going to do. I just couldn't stand looking at the bastard I saw in the mirror anymore. The coward who'd let all those ghouls from Diamond City die. Who was too scared to protect his fellow drifters from Vic and his boys. If I took it, I'd never have to look at him again. I could put that all behind me. I'd be free. Didn't seem like a choice at all. Turns out it was just me running from somethin' else in my life."

     Abigail cocked her head as she listened. She was silent for while after that. Turning to face the pond once more, she blatantly asked, "You know I trust you, John... Should I?"

     Hancock brushed Abigail's hair over her shoulder, his cocky grin returning to his face as he said, "I ain't got an escape route planned, if that's what you're askin'. Right now, this is exactly where I want to be." Glancing around the Boston Common, Hancock added, "Well maybe not 'exactly' here, but you catch my drift."

     "I don't understand everyone's problem with this place... Sure it's not as nice as it used to be but it's not awful."

     "People don't come back from here, sunshine."

     Abigail chuckled as she said, "This is the third time I've walked through here, Hancock. And nothing's ever happened."

     "Third time's the charm."

     "The way I see it. If we had gone South of here we would have dealt with Raiders. If we had gone North, we would have dealt with Super Mutants. This way we get to have a nice walk in the park."

     "Point taken... Now can we get the hell out of here, sister?" Hancock said as he grabbed Abigail by the hand and began leading her away.

     "Oh yeah... this is romantic..." Abigail whined as Hancock dragged her behind him.

     The sound of rushing water drew both of their attention back towards the pond. The pile of debris in the center was rising from the pond's surface, causing a waterfall's worth of pond water to cascade from its mass. The heap of trash unfolded to reveal a super mutant behemoth underneath, armed with a massive anchor for a weapon and a shield made from the hull of a boat encasing one of it's arms. The beast had armor made with a tire and random bits of boat fragments, a net of skulls hung from it's back. It leaned its head back as it roared, "SWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"

     Hancock and Abigail stood dumbfounded as the behemoth made it's way to shore. Hancock leaning towards Abigail as he said, "What were you saying about not having to deal with Super Mutants and Raiders, sister?"

     "There will time to say: you were right later!" Abigail yelled. Her fingers still tightly grasping Hancock's hand as they ran towards a fire escape on one of the nearby buildings. Swan's footsteps shook the ground beneath them as they made their way to the roof top. Peering over the ledge, Abigail said, "Hopefully when it figures out it's too big to get up here it'll lose interest and go away."

     The building beneath them shook as Swan drew his anchor and began beating it against the brick wall.

     "Or it'll just level the building and then kill us..." Hancock muttered as he aimed off the roof and fired his shotgun, "Now might be a good time for you to call some backup, sister."

     Setting her pack down between them, Abigail rifled through it until she found her flare gun. Holding it above her head, it made a soft _pop_ as it fired a flare into the sky above them. Abigail's eyes scanned the rooftops, but no responding flare was fired. Backup wasn't coming.

     "Looks like we are on our own, Hancock."

     Looking down at Abigail's pack, Hancock asked, "Can't you throw one of those smoke grenades?"

     Abigail cranked her musket, before aiming over the ledge at Swan. It raised it's makeshift shield as she fired, deflecting her laser beams. Letting out another roar, Swan picked up a small boulder and threw it at Abigail. Ducking behind the ledge of the rooftops, Abigail was able to avoid damage as the boulder bounced off the brick wall beneath them.

     Abigail let out a sigh of frustration before responding, "It's too close. The artillery would kill us too."

     Hancock smirked at Abigail as he fired at Swan, "This is some walk in the park, sunshine."

     They both ducked as Swan threw another set of rocks at them, sending vibrations through the building beneath them. Abigail's pack fell over as the ground shook, spilling it's contains on the rooftop around them.

     "Where the hell is it getting all these fucking boulders?!!" Abigail shouted as she fired more beams over the roof's edge.

     "This building ain't gonna hold much longer, sister." Hancock glanced down at the items that had fallen from Abigail's pack as he yelled, "Got any bright ideas?"

     "Stumped." Abigail shouted back as Swan shielded himself from her laser musket's beam. Further angered by their fire, Swan returned to beating on the building with his anchor.

     Picking up a frag grenade that had fallen from Abigail's pack, Hancock chuckled as he pulled the pin, "Here's to a hail Mary." Leaning over the edge of the roof, Hancock waited until Swan paused to roar, before throwing the grenade at Swan's head. Through sheer luck or incredible aim, the grenade landed in Swan's mouth, stifling it's roar as it gagged on the grenade. The beast didn't even realize what was happening before it's head exploded in a bloody mess.

     "You have got to be shitting me..." Abigail said in disbelief as Swan's headless body fell against the building beneath them. Abigail and Hancock had enough time to exchange a smile before the vibrations of the behemoth's corpse falling cased the building to begin to crumble. As Abigail and Hancock struggled to stand, a crack shot along the rooftop between them. Hancock could see the panic in Abigail's eyes as her half of the roof began to break away from his. Reaching his arm out to catch her, he yelled, "Abigail!"

     Their arms clasped together as part of the roof fell three stories to the ground beneath them. Unable to stop her momentum, Abigail's head smacked the side of roofline as she swung in Hancock's grasp, knocking her unconscious. Her tricorn hat falling to the ground below. As her hold on him loosened, Hancock tried to regrip her forearm, only to have her slip a little further from his hold.

     Hancock grabbed the edge of the roof to anchor himself as he struggled to keep ahold of Abigail's limp body. Glancing around helplessly, Hancock realized with dread that help wasn't coming. Looking down at Abigail, Hancock could feel her slipping from his hold as he shouted, "Don't think you get to leave me just yet, sunshine."

     Hancock could still feel the building breaking apart around him. He needed to get them out of there. His heartbeat began to race as instinct took hold of him. With new found strength he managed to lift Abigail back onto the roof. Tucking her into his arms, Hancock looked around for an exit. The roof began crumbling away from under his feet as he ran for the fire escape. Halfway down it, the brick wall beside him began to collapse, causing the fire escape to break free. Hancock shielded Abigail body with his as the ramp fell against a neighboring building, while the one they had originally been standing on was reduced to a pile of rubble.

     As a stillness swept across the Boston Common, Hancock slowly crawled down the rest of the fire escape, Abigail still in his arms. Walking past the headless behemoth, Hancock found Abigail's tricorn hat mixed with the building's rubble. Placing it back on her head, Hancock noticed a stream of blood traveling down her temple.

     "You are going to be the death of me, sunshine." Hancock groaned, as he hurried through the alleyways toward Goodneighbor.


	30. Take It Easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. My cat decided that the cords coming out of my computer looked delicious... We will see how long the electrical tape lasts before I need to buy some new ones. :) Enjoy!

     Abigail's eyes fluttered open. A ceiling fan's blades circled above her as she took in her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was in a room of a pre-war building. Sunlight struggled to find it's way through boarded up windows and what light did manage to enter illuminated the cream colored paint that was cracking from the walls and ceiling. She recognized the decor from her previous visit to the Old State House in Goodneighbor, although she had never been in this room before. Two figures stood above her. One was leaning over her while the other stood near the foot of the bed.

     Abigail squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light. The first figure she recognized as Doctor Amari. Abigail smiled when she recognized the raspy voice of the second, "Is she gonna be alright, doc?"

     Abigail chuckled as she said, "I should have guessed you'd employ the help of a behemoth to finally get me into your bed."

     Her words didn't melt the concerned look from Hancock's face as he looked to Doctor Amari. As she straightened herself up, Amari said, "You can relax, Mayor. Humor is a sign that the likelihood of brain trauma is a minimum. Still... You should make sure she takes it easy and to come see me at once if she has any light headedness or pain."

     Hancock sighed with relief as he said, "Thanks, doc."

     Hancock turned his focus on Abigail once Doctor Amari had left the room. Abigail could hear Amari's footsteps fading as Hancock stated, "You had me real worried there, sister."

     Abigail smiled as she patted the empty spot on the bed next to her, "More worried than the deathclaw?"

     Hancock chuckled as he laid down next to her on the bed. Nestling his arm under Abigail's head as he said, "Let's not compare..." Hancock took Abigail's hand in his and began tracing circles on the back of her palm with his thumb as he continued, "I hope you don't make a habit of almost getting yourself killed, sunshine." Hancock chuckled as he added, "This stress is worse on me then the chems."

     "You don't like being my knight in shining armor?" Abigail smiled as she rested her head on Hancock's shoulder.

     "I'm serious, sister. You're gonna get both of us killed one of these days."

     "Now you're really starting to sound like Preston."

     Hancock nuzzled his face softly against Abigail's cheek as he whispered, "Perhaps..." His voice turning into a playful growl as he continued, "Maybe I need to remind you who you're dealing with..."

     Hancock's breath sent shivers down her spine as he began kissing along Abigail's neck. She giggled as she said, "Don't you have important mayoral duties to attend to?"

     "It can wait..." Hancock playfully growled as his kisses moved down her neck, his hand trailing along her hips. They both looked up as the door opened. A woman with orange hair and steely eyes stared at them, a scowl was planted beneath a lightly freckled nose, "If you two are finished, there's a city for you to run, mayor."

     "Actually we were just getting started, sister." Hancock said with an impish smile as he turned his focus from Abigail to his body guard.

     "Yeah I realize that..." Fahrenheit said sarcastically, "I know you want to continue your fuck vacation but there are matters you need to deal with first."

     "Stay here." Hancock groaned as he got up from the bed.

     "What the hell am I supposed to do here?" Abigail whined as she slowly sat up.

     "Wait for your valiant knight in shining armor to return?" Hancock said with a cocky smirk as Fahrenheit rolled her eyes behind him. He stopped her as Abigail began to stand, "Come on, sunshine. The doc said to take it easy."

     "She didn't say I was bedridden..."

     Hancock sighed as he replied, "Alright, alright. Just stay in Goodneighbor."

     "Or else I'll have to face _mayoral consequences_?" Abigail returned Hancock's grin as she stood from the bed.

     "You're gonna have to deal with those anyway..." Hancock whispered before gently grabbing Abigail's chin and guiding her gaze to meet his, "Promise me you'll stay in Goodneighbor."

     "I promise." Abigail said as she brought her lips to met his. Their tender kiss was interrupted by Fahrenheit's annoyed cough. Hancock chuckled as he turned to leave, his bodyguard close behind him. Abigail sighed as she sat on the bed once more, glancing to the nightstand beside her where a radio was perched. She flipped the dial on to hear it announce, "Galaxy News Radio!"

     Abigail smiled as she nestled under the covers.


	31. The Silver Shroud

     "Thinking the Super Mutants are getting a little too friendly. Maybe we should 'round up some crew and thin them out?" Hancock said as he looked up from the pile of reports that littered his coffee table along with  various empty bottles of alcohol and canisters of Jet.

     He leaned back in his seat as Fahrenheit stated from the sofa across from him, "Too aggressive. They will have a home ground advantage, plus our fighters are disorganized. When they aren't defending their homes, discipline and morale plummet."

     Hancock took a pack of cigarettes from his jacket and tapped one into his hand before offering one to his bodyguard. He sighed as he tucked it back into his frock and pulled out a lighter, "So what? We just turtle up? That's not my style..."

     He cupped his hand over his mouth as he lit his cigarette, before handing the lighter to Fahrenheit. She laughed sarcastically before lighting her own cigarette, "The only thing that's 'not your style' is losing, Hancock. Trust me. We keep the game defensive. A simple castle strategy will draw the mutants to us."

     Hancock took a drag from his cigarette, holding his breath before blowing a cloud of smoke between them, "And we can knock them off slowly... I like it..."

     "Of course you do. I said it."

     Hancock chuckled as he rested his head against the sofa, puffing another cloud of smoke as he stared at the ceiling, "I can always count on you to not pull punches, can't I?"

     "It goes against my nature..." Fahrenheit said as a member of the Neighborhood Watch stumbled into Hancock's den.

     "Mayor Hancock." The ghoul said as he straightened his pressed grey suit with one hand and clasped the brim of his fedora with the other.

     Hancock nodded at the ghoul as he asked, "What's up, Jim?"

     "Got some freak in a Silver Shroud costume shooting people up in the alleyways."

     Hancock could feel his brow furrow as he asked, "Who's he killed so far?"

     The ghoul, Jim, adjusted his grip on his submachine gun as he answered, " _She_ _'s_ killed Wayne Delancy and AJ..." He pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and held it out to Hancock, "Left these calling cards on their bodies."

     Hancock took the card and held it over his head as he took another drag from his cigarette, "I'll talk to Kenny-boy and let him know that his latest sucker is getting in way over her head..."

     Fahrenheit flicked a few ashes from her cigarette as she mused, "Poor girl's gonna have a rude awakening when those stupid fucks' boss finally steps out from the shadows..."

     Hancock put his cigarette out in the ashtray on the coffee table before looking back at Jim, "Is that all?"

     Jim smirked as he looked between Hancock and Fahrenheit, "I was hoping to get a word with your latest squeeze if she's free. Is Abigail still upstairs?"

     Hancock's eyes sparked dangerously as he turned his head towards Jim. Taking his knife from his frock, he began twirling it in his hand as he asked in a low growl, "About what?"

     "Jet, boss."

     Hancock sighed as he leaned back into the sofa. Raising an eyebrow at Jim, he asked "What's wrong with my Jet?"

     Jim adjusted his stance as he said, "Nothing, boss. It's just Abigail cooks up this fuckin' rocket fuel, amplifies _everything_. First time I tried it I thought I was going insane... My heart's racing just thinking about it."

     "As long as it's only racing for Jet." Hancock chuckled as he began picking his fingernails with his knife, "Abigail should still be upstairs."

     Jim nodded as he closed the door behind him. Fahrenheit laughed as she put her cigarette out in her hand, "He ain't kidding either, Hancock. Thought I was gonna have a fucking heart attack first time I tried it..."

     Hancock looked at his bodyguard with a quizzical stare as he asked, "You've tried it?"

     Fahrenheit scoffed as she leaned back into the sofa, "Haven't you?"

     "No."

     Fahrenheit laughed as the door opened, "Sounds like your 'latest squeeze' is holding back..."

     They both turned their heads to see the newcomer that had entered the room. A black trench coat trailed behind her while a silvery grey fedora hid her face. A silver submachine gun sparkled under the sunlight in her hands.

     Fahrenheit stood abruptly, while Hancock laughed, "Guess what someone tells me... Some costumed freak is operating in Goodneighbor. And the kicker: it ain't me." Hancock smiled from under the brim of his tricorn hat as he asked, "How should I feel about this?"

     The Silver Shroud raised her gaze to meet his, a silver scarf shielded her face as she responded in a raised voice, "This neighborhood is ill... I am the cure."

     Hancock chuckled as he tucked his knife pack into his frock, "You're priceless. Like the Silver Shroud himself walked out of a comic book and into my den... Just priceless..." Hancock held a hand out to Fahrenheit, who returned to sitting on the sofa. Looking the shroud up and down, Hancock continued, "You've been busy scaring people. Bashing in a few faces. I respect that... So far. But I gotta ask, one freak to another, why the get up?"

     "Many have sought to pierce the Shroud! To no avail..."

     "You can cut the act, sunshine. I know it's you." Hancock chuckled as he added, "What happened to taking it easy? You promised."

     Hancock could see the Silver Shroud smile from behind her scarf, "I promised I'd stay in Goodneighbor."

     "How the hell did you even have time for this? I left you alone for less than an hour!"

     Fahrenheit chuckled as she said, "I think I'm beginning to understand the attraction between you two..."

     The group heard approaching footsteps as a man called out from the hallway, "Alright Hancock, where's the general?"

     Preston stormed through the door a moment later. He glared at Hancock before looking the Silver Shroud up and down, asking, "General, why are you dressed like that?"

     Abigail let out a huff as Hancock approached her, "Playing dress up is fun and all, but you've walked into something a whole lot bigger. Those low-lives you've been taking out for Kenny-boy... they all belong to the same asshole. And that asshole's going to want some good old-fashioned revenge. You dig?"

     "Yeah thanks for the warning." Preston scoffed as he turned to Abigail, "What the hell has he gotten you into?"

     Before Abigail could answer another voice came echoing from the hallway, "Preston! You can't just barge in there-" Piper's voice faltered as she appeared in the doorway. Looking Abigail up and down, she looked at Preston, "Why's Blue dressed like that?"

     "Seriously?" Abigail said as she pulled the scarf from her face, "How does everyone know it's me?"

     Piper raised an eyebrow at Abigail as she replied, "How many Silver Shrouds do you know of that wear a Pip-boy, Blue?"

     "Who's after Abigail?" Preston asked irritably as he turned to look at Hancock.

     "Someone's after Blue?"

    "You can stop speaking as if I'm not right here... " Abigail sighed as she turned to face Hancock.

     Hancock's fingers trailed along the collar of Abigail's trench coat, lowering his head to whisper playfully in her ear, "You know... It would be a shame if he ended you. Not before we had a little fun first."

     Abigail smiled as his tricorn hat brushed up against her fedora. Preston cleared his throat in annoyance before repeating, "Who's after Abigail?"

     Hancock's gaze didn't stray from Abigail's as he said in a raised voice so Preston could hear, "His name's Sinjin. He's taken two bit raider outfits and made them... scary. Small fish now, but if left alone..."

     Hancock dragged his focus from Abigail to Preston as he continued, "I happen to know where some of his other boys are. Smiling Kate operates outside of Bunker Hill. And Northy's got a pad over at Prospect Hill. You take them out and maybe we can find out where the big guy himself is stashed. Goodneighbor'd rest a whole lot easier with him out of the picture."

     Preston rolled his eyes as he asked, "So you don't know where he is?"

     Hancock flashed Preston a cocky grin as he replied, "No one does. He's a behind-the-scenes kind of guy." Turning his focus back to Abigail, he added, "But you keep poking his people with a machine gun and he'll come out of hiding..."

     "No." Preston said as he stepped between Hancock and Abigail, "I heard about how you almost let her get mauled by a deathclaw and I was just told how you almost got her killed by a behemoth. I'm not letting my general get in harms way over a thug."

     "Relax, boy scout. I'll have my boys deal with Sinjin."

     "No, she's my general. I'll deal with Sinjin."

     Piper raised her hand from the doorway as she added, "I'm up for some community service."

     Hancock chuckled as he crossed his arms, eyeing Preston as he said, "You know, you're alright, boy scout. You take care of Sinjin and I'm inclined to show some gratitude. You feel me?"

     "I'm not doing it for you." Preston said as his gaze trailed towards Abigail, "You alright, General?"

     "Yes, Preston. I'm fine." Abigail said as she took off her fedora, causing her long locks of chestnut hair to cascade down her shoulders and back. "And none of that stuff is Hancock's fault. It's mine."

     Preston lowered his voice as he stood over her, "You aren't used to this world, Abigail. You should always have someone with you to look out for you. Until you get your bearings."

     "I did have someone with me. I had Hancock." Abigail glanced over Preston's shoulder towards Hancock before continuing, "If I'm not used to this world by now, Preston. There's no hope for me."

     Preston adjusted his Minuteman hat before whispering, "Just be careful. For me."

     Abigail smiled as she looked up at him, "I always am."

     Preston sighed as he said, "Robbing a deathclaw's nest and strolling through the Common isn't being careful, Abigail."

     They both paused as they stared at each other.

     "We are losing daylight, boy scout. Should we just wait around until Sinjin sends a posse after her?" Hancock said as he grabbed Preston by the shoulder.

     Shrugging Hancock's hand off, Preston replied, "You should move her out of Goodneighbor. Sinjin may come looking for her here."

     "Bright idea." Hancock looked over at Abigail with a playful grin as he asked, "You pick out a destination for our next day trip, sunshine?"

     "Meet us at Bunker Hill. Piper and I will meet up with you there when it's done." Preston changed his focus from Abigail to Hancock as he added, "No detours."

     Abigail smiled as she handed her fedora to Preston, in the Silver Shroud's voice she said, "Sinjin thinks he's above judgement. Show him that no one is safe from the Silver Shroud!"

     "Sure thing, General." Preston said as he took the fedora and placed it on Piper's head, "Come on, Piper. Let's go."

     Piper hesitated as Preston walked out of the room. Abigail laughed as she took off her trench coat and handed it to Piper. To which Piper took happily, before running after Preston, shouting, "No one escapes the Silver Shroud!"

     Hancock chuckled as he asked Abigail, "Ready for another adventure, sister?"

     Abigail and Hancock exchanged a smile before Hancock lowered his head to kiss Abigail. She gasped as Hancock picked her up in his arms and carried her through the doorway. Fahrenheit lit herself another cigarette before muttering, "Nice to have you back, Mayor."


	32. Detours

     "Didn't the boy scout say 'no detours', sunshine?"

     Abigail flashed Hancock a grin over her shoulder as she passed through a break in the ruins of Downtown Boston, cracked paved roads outlined a small garden of dead foliage and a barren tree. A Mr. Handy was clipping away as it attempted to prune hedges that had died off centuries ago.

     "I told you... We have an errand to run."

     A Sentrybot that had been sitting ideal nearby upon seeing them rolled forward as it announced, "Stay off the grass."

     "What grass?" Hancock chuckled as he glanced around the clearing.

     "Don't get cocky with robots, John. They don't understand humor." Abigail giggled as she grabbed Hancock by the hand and lead him to a pristinely upkept Victorian style building at the head of the clearing. Stopping at the door, Hancock glanced sideways at the intercom, "Should you or I do the honors, sunshine?"

     "No need." Abigail smiled as she dug through her pack, "I have a key."

     Hancock raised what should have been an eyebrow as he said, "Should I be worried?"

     "Worrying isn't much your style, is it?" Abigail chuckled as she put the key in the keyhole and unlocked the door, "After you, Mayor."

     Something came over Hancock as he walked through the doorway that he would have never thought possible, he was speechless. Pristine kept wood floors adorned with expensive looking wool rugs laid before him, waxed wood trimmings lined the walls that were faux painted, creating an artificially aged red color.

     "This what things looked like before the bombs?" Hancock asked as he stood awestruck.

     Abigail chuckled as she traced her fingers along Hancock's back, whispering, "Maybe for the Boston elite..." Abigail paused before ducking into the doorway to their left, adding as she walked away, "Take your time, John."

     Abigail's footsteps became muffled by the carpet that met her boots as she called out, "Lorenzo? You here?"

     "Why if it isn't Abigail." A soft voice that was almost a purr crept down a nearby stairway. Abigail looked up to see Lorenzo staring down at her from the balcony that overlooked the living room she was standing in. Blue carpet stretched out in every direction bordered by more wood paneling and blue painted walls. The sea of blue only broken by various pieces of furniture that lined the room. "Help yourself to a drink, my dear."

     Abigail grabbed a few crystal glasses from a nearby antique vitrine before grabbing a bottle of brandy from the coffee table. Pouring a glass for herself, she held it up to Lorenzo, stating, "And this is good old Boston, the home of the bean and the cod. Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots and the Cabots talk only to God."

     Lorenzo laughed as Abigail brought the glass to her lips, his ancient alien artifact that he wore as a crown had a dull gleam to it, while Lorenzo's perfectly pressed black three piece suit laid effortlessly on his frame. "A famous toast I had thought was lost to the ages! It's been too long since another truly cultured soul has drank in this house!"

     Abigail smiled as she replied, "One could argue it has been since my last visit, Lorenzo."

     "Ah, you speak of my homecoming. A true shame our first drink together had to be after such business. I am indeed grateful for your assistance ridding my house of those vermin." Lorenzo paused as he watched Abigail finish her drink, "Now tell me dear, what brings you here?"

     "I used your serum. I was hoping to acquire another, if you'd be so kind."

     "I had my doubts you would use it at all. Immortality can be such a lonely journey..." Lorenzo said as he leaned over the railing of the balcony before continuing, "I take it that I may finally see you on a regular basis? This house can seem so empty at times..." Lorenzo raised his hand as he beckoned Abigail up the stairs, "Come now dear, I have another vial in the laboratory."

     Lorenzo watched Abigail as she climbed the stairs before leading her through another doorway into his laboratory. Various monitors and machines lined the walls, Abigail's attention moved to the table in the center room that had been cleared. A body rest on top of it, hidden by a white cloth.

     Raising an eyebrow at Lorenzo, Abigail asked, "May I?"

     "But of course, my dear. I'd love to hear your expertise."

    "I'm not a doctor..." Abigail said under her breath as she pulled the cloth away. Beneath it laid the body of a female ghoul. Abigail felt herself stiffen as she continued to stare, she knew that ghoul. Or at least she had seen her on her last trip to the Slog.

     "A fine specimen, no?" Lorenzo cocked his head as he peered over Abigail's shoulder.

     "Wha-Where did you find her?" Abigail managed to stutter as she grabbed the table with both hands to help steady herself.

     Lorenzo's voice almost turned into a hum as he circled the table, "On one of my journeys through this New World, I happened upon these sub-species of humans. I knew I just had to dissect one..."

     Abigail could feel her stomach twisting onto itself, she felt like she was going to be sick. Abigail had given Lorenzo a second chance at life, how could he turn around and do something so cruel? So _inhumane_...

     "Fascinating creatures, aren't they?" Abigail felt frozen in place, but managed to drag her attention from the ghoul long enough to see a smile cross Lorenzo's face. The door to the laboratory opened as Hancock entered, "Nice place you got here, Lorenzo. And your brandy is top notch-" Hancock paused when he caught sight of the look on Abigail's face, "You alright, sunshine?"

     Lorenzo cocked his head as he changed his focus from the corpse to Hancock, "I did not realize your traveling companion was one of those-"

     Hancock cut Lorenzo off, "We're called ghouls." Glancing at the body on the table, he asked in a voice laced in acid, "The fuck's going on here?"

     "How interesting..." Lorenzo mused as he approached Hancock. Hancock went to raise his shotgun, but was too late as a blast echoed through the room. Lorenzo fell to his knees a moment later, blood spraying from his torso. Hancock looked up to see Abigail still holding her laser musket, her eyes widened with fear. As Lorenzo gasped for his last gulp of air, Abigail dropped her musket and began to sob.

     "Hey hey, sunshine. It's gonna be alright." Hancock said as he began to cross the room, reaching out an arm to touch her.

     The room was still spinning as Abigail collapsed on the floor, choking on her tears as she struggled to say, "No.. It's not..."

     Hancock held Abigail in his arms as her body lurched under him. Vomit escaped her lips as she continued to sob. Abigail's stared up at the table where the dead ghoul's body still laid before another fit of sobs over came her, "She's dead... And it's all my fault."

     "You didn't kill her, sweetheart. That bastard did."

     Abigail held her head in her hands as she screamed, "But I let him go! I helped him kill off his family!" She paused as she dragged her fingers along her skin, before muttering, "I'm a fucking monster."

     "Sunshine..." Hancock said as he picked Abigail up in his arms, carrying her through the doorway and back down the stairs. He slowly sat himself on the sofa, Abigail's head resting on his shoulder, while his arms remained wrapped around her. He rested his forehead against hers as he said, "You gave him a second shot at life, Abigail. He squandered it, not you."

     Abigail stared up at him with those copper brown eyes as she whispered, "What if that had been you?"

     A weak smile crossed Hancock's lips as he replied, "But it wasn't, sweetheart. There's no point dwelling on the what if's. We are here now, and what we do from this point on is all that matters."

     Abigail's gaze trailed back up the stairs to the doorway where she knew that poor girl's body still was. In a dazed voice, she asked, "Can you bury her?"

     "Sure thing, sunshine." Hancock said as he cradled Abigail in his arms as he stood, before setting her back onto the sofa, "You gonna be alright, sister?"

     Abigail didn't reply as she grabbed the bottle of brandy that was still on the coffee table. Not even bothering with a glass as she took a swig from the bottle. Hancock hesitated before leaving her with only her brandy for company.

     When Hancock returned some time later, he found Abigail curled into a ball at the foot of the sofa, still clutching her bottle of brandy. Abigail's tricorn hat sat abandoned on the coffee table beside her.

     "Interesting choice of seating there, sunshine. " Hancock said as he took a seat next to her on the floor. Gently running her hair through his fingers as he guided her head to rest on his leg. Hancock couldn't help but notice that she was still shaking as she took another gulp of brandy.

     "Is it done?"

     Hancock looked down at Abigail, his finger stroked her arm as he answered, "She buried in the garden."

     "And Lorenzo?"

     "Left his body out back for the Radroaches..."

     "The artifact?"

     "Locked away in a safe upstairs."

     "Good." Abigail muttered as she brought the bottle of brandy to her lips. Hancock could smell the alcohol on her breath as he said, "Might want to take it easy with that, sunshine."

     Abigail's voice was cold as she replied, "Why?"

     "Because you're running, sweetheart."

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she stated, "No, I'm drinking."

     Hancock held her hand as she brought the bottle to her lips for another swig, "Then at least share, sunshine."

     Hancock took the bottle from Abigail, taking a few gulps from it before setting it down on the floor in front of her. She stared at the liquid inside for a few moments before whispering, "I don't know how much longer I can do this, John. People count on me and I don't understand for the life of me why..."

     Hancock watched a few tears trickle down her cheeks before brushing them away, saying, "It's because you're strong, sunshine."

     Abigail reached out for the bottle once more, taking a sip before whispering, "I've made an irreversible mistake... and now someone's dead because of it. If I was strong, I would have seen this coming."

     "No one expects you to be perfect, Abigail. You're only human."

     Abigail rolled her eyes before she muttered, "Except I'm worse then human... I'm a fucking monster."

     "You made the best decision you could with the information you had, Abigail. No one can expect any more from you then that."

     More tears trailed down Abigail's cheeks as she said, "But they do, John. And I've failed them."

     "Then fuck 'em, Abigail."

     Abigail stared up at Hancock with confusion, her voice was weak as she struggled to keep her eyes open, "What?"

     Hancock cradled Abigail's head in his hands as he said, "You give and give, sunshine. And all they do is take from you. You try to see the best in people and it's not your fault when they turn out to be bastards." Abigail's eyes closed as more tears began to fall, "You deserve so much more than this..."

     Hancock could barely hear Abigail murmur, "I can't stop..."

     Abigail's voice trailed off as her body went limp in his grasp, the alcohol and fatigue finally overcoming her and sending her into a peaceful slumber. Hancock gently laid Abigail's head back onto his lap, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand as he whispered, "I won't let you..." Hancock stared down at her sleeping form as he finally uttered the words that he had been longing to tell her since the moment he had first laid eyes on her, "I love you, Abigail."


	33. USS Constitution

     "Huh... Always just figured I hallucinated this thing."

     A weak smile crossed Abigail's lips as she glanced over at Hancock. Abigail's spirits had been low since leaving the Cabot house until a revolutionary ship wedged on top of a ruined building outside of Bunker Hill had drawn her attention. They both stood under it as she replied, "I've got to go on one of your trips someday." Looking back to the ship, Abigail added, "I doubt I have your kind of imagination though."

     Hancock watched her survey the ship, despair still clouded in her eyes and he wanted so badly to hear her laugh again, to see her smile. They both drew their weapons as a Mr. Handy approached them. It hovered before them as it stated, "Scanning... Scanning... Accessing prewar records." Abigail and Hancock exchanged glances as the Mr. Handy continued, "Record found. Driver's License S91328862. Lawyer."

     Abigail's eyes immediately widened, "Y-yes! That's right!"

     "Ahoy there, citizen. You are hereby conscripted into the Congressional Army."

     Abigail raised an eyebrow as she replied, "So now I'm in the army? All right..."

     "Your cooperation is greatly appreciated, madame. The captain requests your presence on the bridge. At the double quick!" The Mr. Handy finished before hovering back under the ruined building.

     Hancock grabbed Abigail's arm as she went to follow, "No detours, sister. Do I need to remind you?"

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at him as she said, "Seriously, Hancock? How often is something going to recognize me from before the war? Even if they are robot pirates of the Congressional Army... I can't pass this up."

     "Yeah, we got attacked by an albino deathclaw the last time you said that, sunshine."

     A small smirk crossed her lips as she replied, "I don't see any deathclaws, do you?"

     Hancock sighed, his inky black eyes got lost in the fissures of copper that sparkled in Abigail's brown eyes. What that robot had said stirred a glimmer of spunk back into Abigail that he hadn't seen since their arrival at the Cabot house the day before, and Hancock knew he would do anything to make that shadow of Abigail's former self become whole again. Masking his apprehensiveness as best he could, Hancock said, "Just stay behind me."

     Abigail nodded as she took Hancock's hand as he lead her under the ship, the ruined building beneath it was mostly a pile of rubble. Hancock noted the lack of Abigail's usual protests and witticism as he guided her through the maze of crumbling walls and makeshift scaffolding bridges, until they had reached the hull of the ship.

     "Take a step back, sunshine."

     Abigail obeyed as Hancock lifted the trapdoor leading into the ship, a prewar reek seeped through the hatch and wafted around them. Both Hancock and Abigail covered their faces as the smell dispersed into the air around them. Hancock declared in a muffled voice, "What the fuck died up there?"

     "One way to find out..." Abigail said as she disappeared through the trapdoor. Hancock cursed under his breath as he followed her.

     Once Hancock eyes could focus through the darkness, he could see that they were in the hollowed out space of the ship's hull. Water that had gathered decades if not centuries ago was pooled at their feet and was the source of the reek they had smelled. Wading through the water, Hancock sped up his pace to catch up to Abigail, who had already began climbing the stairs to another level. Junk littered the aisles, while various models of Mr. Handy and protectrons patrolled through the ship. Turrets that were placed on top of piles of crates hummed loudly as they passed.

     "This is the Captain speaking!" A voice over a loudspeaker announced as Hancock and Abigail navigated their way through the ship. "We are taking on an allied soldier. Clear the berth!"

     Upon reaching another level, a protectron stood idle in front of them. Stating as they approached,"Unidentified intruder... Intruder."

     The captain's voice echoed through the ship, "Mr. First Mate! This is the Captain speaking. This soldier is no intruder! Stand down at once!"

     The reprogrammed police protectron didn't seem to take notice as it said, "Requesting permission to use lethal force."

     Confusion crossed Abigail face as she held one hand up from her musket, "Whoa, whoa. Easy there. We were invited aboard."

     Hancock moved himself between the robot and Abigail. Muttering as he raised his shotgun, "Not exactly the level of hospitality that we were expecting... Let's waste this tin soldier."

     "Stand down!" The captain's voice bellowed, "That's an order! And for God's sake, use the accent."

     The First Mate paused for a moment before it stated in a pirate accent, "Aye. Cap-tain. Standing down."

     Abigail sighed with relief as she moved to climb the final steps to the ship's deck. Hancock stepped in front of her as her hand reached out for the trap door's latch, "Stay behind me, remember?"

     Abigail hesitated before stepping away, Hancock brought his face to hers and kissed her forehead softly before opening the hatch and climbing through.

     Harsh sunlight made his eyes squint as he glanced around the ship's deck. The monument of Bunker Hill was easily identifiable above the surrounding ruins, a perfect view of the city skyline was provided by the height of the ship on it precarious perch. Gentle wisps of sea breeze circled around them as Hancock and Abigail approached a Sentrybot at the center of the ship's deck, a pre-war lieutenant's hat was placed on it's head.

     "Our soldier has arrived." The Sentrybot said in an unusual accent for such a creation, turning to face them as it continued, "I trust the First Mate didn't give you too hard a time? Been too long since we've seen the Congressional Army."

     Abigail paused as she eyed the hat on the Sentrybot's head, it was navy blue in color with gold trimming, the brim of the hat was folded over on top of itself, finished with some sort of sown flower. Tilting her head, Abigail wondered how a robot with no hands could place a hat on it's head, let alone wear it.

     "We're fine." Hancock said, pulling Abigail out of her trance.

     Abigail stared at Ironsides with an amused smile before asking, "Why are you talking like that?"

     Captain Ironsides paused briefly before stating plainly, "Look around you. In these times of great unrest, is it not prudent to adopt the manner of a more civilized time?"

     Abigail laughed that musical laugh that Hancock had been waiting to hear before responding, "You make a fair point, what is it that you drafted me for?"

     "I confess, we need your assistance. You visit this fine vessel in trying times. Becalmed these long years on her airy perch. Damn you Weatherby Savings and Loan! I spit at you!"

     A quizzical look crossed Abigail's face as she asked, "How did it even get up here?"

     "It does seem like gravity should have intervened by now..." Hancock mused.

     "A harrowing tale, of that there can be no doubt. Or I should say, I assume it is. I came upon her as she is. Atop this Sargasso Sea of rubble and misfortune."

     Hancock watched a small smile cross Abigail's lips as she replied, "A sad state of affairs for such a historic ship."

     "Hell of a view though..." Hancock added as he surveyed the city skyline.

     Captain Ironsided circuits hummed as he said, "What vexes me most is my inability to assist in the war effort. My gun decks have naught but mole rats and ne'er-do-wells as targets. Enough pleasantries. The Constitution has systems that need repairs to carry out its mission."

     Abigail tilted her head as she asked, "What war effort?"

     Ironsides replied matter of factly, "Against Communist China, of course. But if any Red Coats or Canadians sail nearby, I will give them a good thrashing, to be sure. To avenge the burning of our nation's capital would be a sweet victory, indeed..." The Sentrybot paused as if deep in thought before exclaiming, "Consult with the Bosun and Mr. Navigator. They will relay your instructions. Dismissed."

     Abigail chuckled as she began to walk to the fore-deck to where the reprogrammed Mr. Handy, known as Mr. Navigator was stationed, Hancock close behind her. Both their attentions were drawn to the North side of the ship as the robots below them began to scurry about, the energy of an approaching firefight lingering in the breeze around them.

     Captain's Ironside's bellow engulfed the deck, "Look lively, lads! Scavengers approach." Turning towards Abigail, Ironsides barked, "Soldier, man the cannons. Kill them only as a last resort. A few warning shots usually suffice to scare that rabble off."

     Abigail glanced over the railing of the deck to the ruins below. Dozens of scavers were running towards them. Glancing sideways, Abigail could see a circuit breaker attached to some sketchy wiring that seemed to be attached to the cannons on deck.

     "You're not seriously about to do what I think you are, are you?" Abigail could hear Hancock call from over her shoulder as her fingers rested on the lever inside.

     "It's not a deathclaw."

     "That's right, sister. Those are people down there."

     "Fire the cannons, soldier!" Ironsides called out.

     A bullet whizzed past Abigail's face, hitting the mast behind her. "Seriously, John? They're fucking shooting at us."

     Abigail glanced over her shoulder at Hancock, watching his expression as he watched the robots below trying to fend off the scarvers. His voice was a low growl as he said, "Light 'em up."

     Without a second thought, Abigail pulled down the lever. An explosion ran through the clearing as the cannons fired, the projectiles ricocheting off the ruins. Most of the scavengers shouted out in surprise before retreating out of the cannons' range. Silence was restored to the clearing as the gunfire ceased.

     "Well done, soldier." Captain Ironside declared before Abigail and Hancock ducked down below deck. An armless Mr. Handy greeted them as it declared in its heavily accented voice, "Your very presence does this humble unit a great honor..."

     "Is that so?" Hancock growled as he finished climbing down the last steps.

     Abigail cocked her head as she asked, "So we can assume you're Bosun?"

     "Aye, madam! My programming would also find it amiss if I did not also interject. Long live the captain!"

     Hancock chuckled as he leaned closer to Abigail, "Peppy little thing, ain't it?"

     Bosun turned towards Hancock as it said, "Much obliged for the compliment. But on to the mission of the day. Our last marine expedition valiantly returned with much needed supplies. Including replacement power cables, sir." The unit paused before it continued, "Alas, with my severe lack of appendages, I find myself unequal to the task of repairing the cables myself."

     Abigail smiled as she said, "You can borrow our thumbs as much as you like." Hancock gave Abigail a look as she laughed, "Get your mind out of the gutter, John."

     "My anxiety emulators are lightening by the microsecond." Bosun hummed happily.

     Abigail and Hancock walked to the lower levels of the ship's hull, until Abigail found the lid to an electrical box. Prying it opened, Abigail shook her head at the rat's nest of wires within.

     "Gonna need a lot of electrical tape and a pair of wire strippers..."

     "The peppy fuck said his maties already brought up some new power cables." Hancock said as he looked over Abigail's shoulder.

     Abigail laughed as she turned to look up at Hancock, "This thing isn't going to be as simple as he made it out to be..."

     "Then I guess I better find you a stripper..." Hancock said with a smirk as he began sorting through the surrounding junk.

     "Preferably a lumberjack. Always was a sucker for a stripper in plaid..."

     Hancock smiled as he handed Abigail the tools she had asked for, noting the return of some of her spunk that had been lost the day before. Hopefully her heart would heal quickly or maybe she was simply cloaking herself behind her charms.

     Hancock watched Abigail with curiosity as she began untangling the wires, her nimble fingers weaving through them with ease. She'd cut the fray bits and strip off the wire sealings before twisting them back together and resealing them with electrical tape. Abigail was silent as she concentrated, until Hancock asked, "What are you thinkin' 'bout, sunshine?"

     "Got plenty to think about with this mess..." Abigail laughed before she added, "I was just thinking... Captain Ironsides said he came across this ship already wedged up here. Meaning there wasn't anyone else to give him orders or program him. So I'm curious as to why the hell Ironsides talks the way he does." Abigail paused from her work as she mused, "I wonder if there's a fail safe somewhere in their programming..." She chuckled as she finished, "I bet someone down in the I.T. department thought it would make a good joke."

     Hancock gave Abigail a quizzical look as he asked, "Aren't you more curious as to how the hell this ship got up here?"

     Abigail's smile was mischievous as she replied, "I have a theory..."

     "You gonna enlighten me, sunshine?"

     "I don't want to spoil the surprise."

     "Right..." Hancock said as he leaned against the wall beside her, "You sure you know what you're doing down there, sunshine?"

     A dangerous smirk crossed Abigail's face as she said, "You're still talking about the boat, right?" She laughed before continuing, "I'm mostly just stripping the wires and relining them to keep them from short circuiting. I don't have to understand what it does to straighten things out."

     "Is that dangerous?"

     "Perhaps..." Abigail paused before returning her focus on her task, adding, "My dad taught me the basics."

     "This story should be good."

     "Aren't all my stories?" Abigail jabbed playfully before continuing, "My dad always had the mentality if I broke something, he could always fix it. So when we were extending the electrical outlets in our garage, he handed me all the needed materials and told me to have at it. I did it the best I knew how, but when he goes to flip the breaker on and POW! POW! POW!" Abigail indicates miniature explosions with her hand as she continued her story, "Sparks burst out of all the new outlets I had just installed... My dad smiles, looks at me, and asks what I did wrong..."

     "What did you do wrong?"

     Abigail laughed as she replied, "I put the ground wire too close to the live one and it caused a short circuit. It was safe to say, I'd never do that again."

     "Your dad sounds like he was one hell of a guy."

     "He was..." Abigail's smile faltered as she got lost in her own thoughts.

     Hancock didn't want to see Abigail shrink back into herself. Trying to keep the conversation going, he asked, "Is he the one who named you?"

     Abigail raised an eyebrow as she answered, "Yes... Why?"

     "Oh no reason, sunshine." Hancock flashed her a cocky grin before adding, "I'm just surprised he didn't name you after someone in the American Revolution is all... You said he was a history buff after all."

     "Who's to say he didn't?"

     "There was an Abigail?"

     "That there was..."

     "Who was she?"

     "John Adam's wife."

     "Who's that?"

     Abigail laughed as she replied, "You know who John Hancock was but not John Adams? He was an influential man, signer of the Declaration of Independence, first Vice President, second President, he helped shape a new nation's political theory..." Abigail paused as she playfully smiled up at Hancock as she added, "He was a lawyer too."

     A knowing smile crossed Hancock's face, "Is that why you became a lawyer?"

     Abigail returned Hancock's smile as she replied, "You could say that. I always was a daddy's girl."

     "I bet your dad was proud."

     "Oh he was. But John Adam's wife was a badass in her own way too. She melted her silverware to make bullets for the rebel soldiers, ran her husband's estate while he was busy with the Continental Congress and his law practice. You could also say she was her husband's closest advisor, he was always asking for her console during and after the war. Even after decades of marriage, John was still smittened by her. He was impressed by her knowledge of philosophy and politics, which is probably why he sought her approval so much..."

     "Funny how history repeats itself." Hancock mused as he watched Abigail, who so closely resembled another Abigail who had helped shape the world centuries before. Hancock could understand how John had been so smitten by his Abigail, as he was head over heels in love with his. Hancock wanted to tell her how crazed he was for her and he knew he would in time, but right this second wasn't it.

     "Funny..." Abigail whispered as she stared up at Hancock. Their gazes locked together for a moment, while the world seemed to freeze around them. Hancock couldn't help but doubt himself, was now the time to tell her? Perhaps there would never be a better time than now. As Hancock opened his mouth to speak, they were both brought back to reality as Bosun exclaimed from behind them, "Power courses through the Constitution's veins again. Her systems, long starved, flicker to life. A hearty congratulation. Huzzah!" Bosun circuits continued to whirl with excitement as it said, "Fine work indeed, soldier! But alas there is more work in need of doing. Mr. Navigator has requested your presence on the bridge! On the double!"

     "Right..." Hancock said as he held his hand out to Abigail. As Abigail raised her hand to take his, Hancock gruffly pulled Abigail to her feet, his arms encircling her as he pulled her into him. Brushing his thumb against her cheek as her copper eyes stared up at him, Hancock whispered in a rough voice, "Abigail..."

     A small smile crossed her lips as she answered, "On the double, John."

     "Right." Hancock said as he reluctantly let go of her, following her up to the main deck. The evening sun greeted them as they crawled through the opened hatch, it's red light bathed the surrounding ruins. The cool sea breeze brushed up against his ghoulish skin. A Mr. Handy eyed them as they approached, "Ahoy there, soldier! Our guidance system is offline. Multiple errors diagnosed. First error: Guidance Chip stolen. This unit requires its return."

     Abigail tilted her head as she asked, "Who stole it?"

     "Scavengers, ma’am. 'Tis likely the chip's still with 'em." Mr. Navigator exclaimed before adding, "Reclaim chip at scavenger's forward recon station. Captain has approved a bounty for its return."

     "Don't know about all that science crap, sister. But bounty is right in my ballpark." Hancock chuckled.

     Mr. Navigator motioned toward the back of the ship, "Aft dinghy unlocked and available for your use. Ma'am."

     Following Abigail to the lifeboat at the tail end of the ship, hooked precariously to a wench. After climbing onto it, Hancock sent a cocky smirk her way as he told her, "You know... Sexy pirate was always going to be my fallback if 'sexy mayor' didn't pan out."

     The makeshift elevator sprang to life and began its descent as Abigail musical laugh echoed off the ruins around them. Encouraged by Abigail's response, Hancock added, "I'll keep you in mind if I ever need a sexy first mate."

     "You always know how to keep my day interesting..."

     Once the lifeboat reached the ground, Hancock leapt off it. Holding his hand out to Abigail as he said, "Somehow I find that hard to believe."

     Hancock pulled Abigail into him as she took his hand, whispering in her ear, "I'm following your lead most of the time, sunshine."

     They walked down the ruined alleyways, Hancock arm still wrapped around Abigail shoulders. Their tricorn hats brushing up against each other as they neared the scarver's camp. Pausing around the corner, Hancock asked, "What's the plan?"

     "Walk up to them and ask for it back."

     Hancock raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her, a cocky smirk on his lips as he said, "You need to work on your military tactics, sister."

     "Worked the last time, didn't it?" Abigail said with a playful grin, pulling herself out of Hancock's grasp as she rounded the corner.

     "Yeah... After I came to your rescue." Hancock growled, an impish smile crossing his lips.

     "Good thing you're still around then." Abigail said as she disappeared around the corner. Hancock quickly followed as Abigail approached a group of scavengers crouched around a makeshift fire. They stood abruptly as Abigail and Hancock neared their camp, one women in particular in a ratty t-shirt and jeans held up her hands, an ugly scowl laid under her nose as she called out to them, "Don't shoot! Those assholes didn't attack the ship on our orders. They weren't trying to frag you anyhow. They just wanted to kill the frickin' robots."

     "Easy to say after the fact." Hancock growled menacingly behind Abigail, "Some of your guys almost got us killed."

     The frown on the scaver deepened as she said, "We told those crazy assholes not to attack. It's not our fault, all right. When they saw you guys waltz right into the Constitution they just went ballistic." Turning her focus on Abigail, she asked, "How did you get aboard, anyway? We thought you were gonna get cratered for sure."

     "He recognized me as a citizen of the United States, so he drafted me into the Congressional Army." Abigail responded plainly.

     "United States? Isn't that some old world mumbo-jumbo? Whatever." The women rolled her eyes as she continued, "So you got to see the inside, huh? All that salvage. The real motherload. Just waiting to be stripped and sold."

     Abigail rolled her eyes, "So it all boils down to greed. Like it always does."

     "Don't it always, sister?" Hancock said with a raised brow. He glanced around the small camp, a few scavers were scattered about. Poorly clothed, poorly fed. Sure they didn't seem like the most upstanding group, but they were still people weren't they?

     "Hey. If we sell those gizmos, I don't know, they could help orphans and stuff. Us humans could use it a lot more than those robots." The scaver brushed a strand of her dark hair from her eyes as she added irritably, "So you talked with the tin can. What'd he have to say?"

     "Your men took something from him. He wants it back."

     The scaver instinctively glanced to a filing cabinet beside her, "Well, that's too bad. It's our salvage now." A dark smile crossed her face as she continued, "You know what he needs it for? His rockets. The huge God damn rockets on the side of his boat. He's nuts."

     "Yeah... rockets." Abigail laughed sarcastically as she said, "How the fuck do you think that ship got up there?"

     "You seriously want to help that idiot bolt-for-brains? Screw that robot and come work with us. There's dozens more of us nearby. It's only a matter of time before we come out on top."

     "Good. Then it seems you don't need us then."

     "Hold up a second, sister. Think about it." Hancock said as he grabbed Abigail arm. Why was she so hell bent on helping robots rather than real people? He worried Abigail wasn't thinking clearly, too pissed off at a bitch that clearly didn't possess any sort of people skills.

     "You can go to hell, Mandy. If you think for one second I'm splitting my share with them-" A man in a mechanic jumpsuit muttered behind her.

     "You holding out on us, Davies? You got some magical way in there? This chick's got a free ticket aboard. So shut up." Mandy said over her shoulder before turning her focus back on Abigail, "Help us destroy that frickin' tin can once and for all."

     Abigail stood in silence before replying, "No deal. I'm with Ironsides."

     "You really wanna help a luny bot over maybe putting some food in these people's mouths?" Hancock stared at Abigail in disbelief as she walked to the filing cabinet.

     Mandy scoffed, "Then screw you, asshole. You're lucky we don't gun you down."

     Abigail laughed at Mandy as she opened the cabinet, looking over her shoulder at Hancock as she stated, "You have a problem with how I do things, Hancock, you can walk away."

     Hancock stood in silence as he watched Abigail pulled out the Guidance Chip from inside, Mandy exclaiming, "Hey that's ours!"

     "Actually it's stolen government property and I'm returning it. If you have a problem with that..." Abigail paused as she stared down the scavers, "Do something about it."

     Mandy and her scavers stood in silence, waiting until Abigail turned to leave to draw their weapons. "You fuckin' bitch!" Davies called after her as he aimed his revolver at Abigail.

     Hancock's reaction was instant, raising his shotgun and firing into Davies' chest. Blood splattered across the ruined brick walls around them. Hancock watched the scarver's last breath leave his lungs, his shotgun shaking in his hands. He had just killed a scavenger just trying to survive for _her_. To help some fucking prewar robot. He had done it instantly without a second thought. What the hell was wrong with him? Hancock knew he would do anything to protect Abigail, but to kill innocents?

     "Anyone else have a problem with that?" Abigail's voice was cold, daring anyone else to try anything. When no one answered, Abigail turned to leave once more. Hancock closed behind her.

     Once they were out of sight, Hancock grabbed Abigail by the arm and turned her to face his gaze. The sun had set and the ruins around them were shrouded in darkness. Abigail's copper eyes' sparkle had dulled once more as she stared coldly into the inky abyss of Hancock's eyes.

     "What the hell was that, Abigail?"

     "Finishing what we set out to do." Abigail said without remorse or concern. Hancock hardly recognized her.

     "You don't even care that I just killed someone for you?"

     "He would have killed me." Abigail said plainly, pulling herself from Hancock's grasp. Hancock only tightened his hold on her as he stared into those brown eyes, searching for any form of remorse for the life that had just been lost.

     "Because you took something from him!"

     "Are you fucking kidding me, Hancock? They stole it first. I'm only returning it."

     They both stood in silence. Hancock couldn't believe what he was hearing. The General of the Minutemen was siding with robots over her supposed citizens. What the fuck happened to her? To the shadow of the women that he loved? Hancock felt like he didn't even know her.

     "Everyone always thinks they would lead better then me. That they could make better choices than me. But I don't see anyone lining up to make the choices I have to make." Abigail's pulled her arm from Hancock's grip, jabbing her finger into his chest as she spat, "You pretend that you don't, but you sit back and judge me just like the rest of them."

     "Abigail, please. You're not thinking clearly..." Hancock reached a hand out to comfort her, but Abigail swatted it away.

     Anger burned in her stare as she glared at him, "If you don't like how I do things... then fucking leave, Hancock."

     Without another word, Abigail turned on her heel and stomped off towards the USS Constitution. Hancock stared after her, but couldn't bring himself to follow her. He needed space, to figure things out. As Abigail's figure disappeared into the darkness, Hancock turned towards Bunker Hill.


	34. Bunker Hill

     Hancock had made his way to Bunker Hill after his argument with Abigail and found his way to the bar in the back. While the market was quieting down for the night, the bar was still bustling with life. The bartender noted Hancock as he approached an empty seat at the counter.

     Glancing around, Hancock said, "Now we're talking. Nice place you got here."

     The bartender was an older man who seemed ailed with a world of worries, a worn shirt rested on his shoulders and a permanent frown set on his face. His calloused hands were poorly wrapped with bits of tattered cloth. His voice was gruff as he leaned against the counter, "Yeah, and we aim to keep it that way."

     "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Hancock felt his eyes narrowed. Sure, he was use to being judged for his condition, being a ghoul for ten years will do that to a person, but now would be a dangerous time for some random shit to spout anti-ghoul bigotry his way.

     The bartenders words were plain as he stated, "It means, Mayor Hancock, that your reputation precedes you and that we don't want any trouble."

     Hancock felt himself relax as a facetious smile crossed his face, "Formal title and everything..." Hancock's voice turned to a growl as he continued, "Oh, I like you. Bring me something strong and charge it to that one over there."

     Hancock indicated to some poor smough at the end of the bar as he took a seat. The barkeep placed a drink in front of him and Hancock downed it in a single gulp.

     "Another." Hancock said as he tapped his glass with his finger. Hancock made the poor bartender earn his pay, as he poured Hancock shot after shot. He was hell bent on getting drunk and that's exactly what he was going to do.

     "Oh, uh, hey Mayor. I didn't realize you were back in town. Look, I-I still haven't got all the caps together, but just give me another week."

     Hancock glanced up from his drink in annoyance. A man with scruffy brown hair, dressed in farmhand clothes, stood awkwardly behind him. Hancock wanted to get plastered in peace, but _no_. Someone just had to bother him. Hancock let out a sigh. Whoever this idiot was, Hancock didn't want to be bothered with. Any other day, he would have taught him his lesson with a bloodied lip, but today all he could think about was Abigail.

     Hancock responded with little interest, "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. One more week. But you better have it then. Now get the hell out of here."

     The man scurried off, leaving Hancock alone to drink in peace once more.

     "Barkeep! Another!" Hancock said as he tapped his empty glass with his finger.

     "Nice to see you in your natural habitat..."

     "For the love of... Can't you see I'm busy?" Hancock's voice was laced with irritation, daring this newcomer to make the first move.

     "Oh yeah... Super busy. Is the General upstairs?" Hancock should have guessed that the Minutemen's number one boy scout would make an appearance. Glancing over his shoulder, Hancock squinted his eyes at Preston as he struggled to keep his vision focused.

     The bartender returned to pour Hancock another shot. "You know I was wonderin' how this night could get any worse and then there you are..." Hancock downed the contents of his glass before continuing, "Your dear general is with her robot minions."

     Preston raised an eyebrow at Hancock's drunkened state as he asked, "Excuse me?"

     "Another." Hancock said as he tapped his glass on the counter. Swaying slightly in his seat as he replied, "She's on a ship. The U.S.S Constitution."

     The bartender set a bottle of moonshine in front of Hancock, telling him with a disgruntled sigh, "I have other patrons, you know. How about you save me some hassle and pour your own damn shots?" Before leaving them alone once more.

     "Don't mind if I do..." Hancock chuckled as he poured himself another shot.

     Preston sighed, "Didn't I say: no detours?"

     Hancock laughed as he took another shot, glancing sideways at Preston as he said in his best pirate voice, "Shouldn't ye be askin': oi' which ship would that be, Cap-tain?"

     Preston replied with annoyance, "It's a ship wedged on top of a building with pirate robots, I'm pretty sure all of the Commonwealth knows about it."

     Hancock waved his glass in the air as he turned to face Preston, "Well she's there."

     Preston took a seat next to Hancock, taking his Militia hat off and setting it on the counter in front of him, "How did she get on anyways?"

     Hancock paused as he tried to remember. Shrugging as he replied, "Guess they recognized her from before the war and drafted her."

     Preston tilted his head as he watched Hancock, "That explains why she's there, but doesn't tell me why you aren't with her."

     Hancock paused as he stared at his glass, a moment of silence passed before he answered, "I fucking killed somebody."

     Preston raised an eyebrow as he looked Hancock over, "You've never killed anyone before?"

     Hancock stared down at his empty glass, pausing over his words as he struggled to sort through his thoughts, "This was different... They were just scavers trying to make a living... Abigail was retrieving something for the fucking robots that they didn't want to give up... They pulled their weapons and I just... killed them."

     Preston rolled his eyes as he sighed, "You're an idiot."

     "Don't fucking start with me, boy scout." Hancock said as he tried to point a finger at Preston, the alcohol diverting his aim.

     "Those robots recognized her from before the war. She felt a duty to her country, to her husband's-"

     "The government those robots serve doesn't even exist anymore!" Hancock yelled. The bartender and what patrons hadn't already retired to their rooms paused from their drinks as they sent dirty glances his way.

     Preston glared at Hancock as he leaned forward, anger brimming in his words as he basically spat, "I know this may be a difficult concept for you, but imagine that something happened and you traveled 200 years into the future. Your family: dead. Friends: dead. Goodneighbor: gone. Life as you know it: gone." Preston leaned further against the bar until his face was mere inches from Hancock's, "Now imagine you found some scavers trying to scrap KLEO. Would you just stand by and watch them do it?"

     "If it meant life or death for them-" Hancock managed to say before Preston cut him off.

     "Abigail has sacrificed so much so people she doesn't even know would have food in their stomachs, a roof over their head, and clean water to drink. She protects them from raiders, super mutants, ferals, everything." Preston's anger grew as he continued, "Abigail does all that for nothing. Those scavers could easily move to a settlement and Abigail would supply them with everything they could possibly need for _free_. So don't spew that shit about life and death. That ship is a relic of a life Abigail once had. And if it's important to her, it should be important to you."

     Taken aback, Hancock stuttered, "But those scavers-"

     Preston's voice turned into a low growl as it reached Hancock's ear, "Yeah... I've heard rumors of those so called scavers and they are barely a cut above raiders. If you are really going to side with them over Abigail, then you don't deserve her."

     Even through his drunken haze, Preston's words had stirred something in Hancock. Abigail always kept a moral code, always followed what was right and shunned what was wrong. How could he question that now? Abigail had shown him a vulnerable side. She had broken down her walls and let him see her as she truly was without a shroud of charms and wit. And what had he done in response? Question her just like everyone else and he felt like a fucking hypocrite for doing it.

     Hancock held his head in his hands as he leaned over the counter, "Fuck... I'm an idiot."

     He knew he had to apologize, to tell her he loved her. But how could he expect her to forgive him, let alone return his feelings? The fear of losing Abigail made his blood run cold, but he knew he had to try.

     Satisfied, Preston stood from his seat. Adjusting his laser musket on his back as he said, "That's what I've been trying to tell you."

     Without another word, Preston grabbed his hat off the counter and placed it back on his head. Hancock could hear Preston's footprints fading as Piper's voice called out from somewhere behind him, "Darkness is no barrier for the Silver Shroud... Come Preston! We must commence our journey to the General!"

     Hancock stood from his seat, following Preston and Piper into the darkness.


	35. Launch of the USS Constitution

     Gunfire echoed throughout the ruins outside Bunker Hill. Muzzle fire lit their path as Piper, still fashioning her Silver Shroud costume and silver machinegun, lead Preston and Hancock towards the USS Constitution. The scavengers had regrouped and were attacking the ship and its crew once more.

     "You left Abigail to deal with this shit by herself?" Preston spat over his shoulder as he drew his laser musket.

     "You can remind me of how shitty I am after we rescue her, boy scout." Hancock muttered as he stumbled behind a ruined wall for cover, loading his shotgun as he struggled to maintain his balance.

     Ducking next to Hancock, Preston fired a beam at a charging scaver. Bullets ricocheted off the ruins behind them, while chunks of brick broke loose from the surrounding walls, creating a fine cloud of dust around them. Looking Hancock up and down, he said, "You can't fight in your state. Stay here before you get one of us killed..."

     Both men looked up as Piper ran past them. "Nothing can stop the Silver Shroud!" became Piper's battle cry as she ran further down the ruined street. Scavers ran to the ruins for cover as she sprayed them with machinegun fire.

     Preston watched her a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "My God... She's created a monster..."

     "To hell with that." Hancock growled as he pulled a syringe from his flock and stabbed it into his leg. Adrenaline rushed through his veins almost instantly as the Psycho flooded his system. His drunken haze was replaced by a blood crazed rage that he would unleash on anyone who stood between him and Abigail.

     Pushing off of the wall, Hancock sprinted into the surrounding ruins. Shooting the scavers who tried to hide from Piper's gunfire within.

     "And now there's two monsters..." Preston's voice trailed off as he aimed down his sights. Providing cover fire and sniping off the remaining scavengers that Piper and Hancock had missed.

     When the gunfire ceased, a calm came over the ruins once more. The sea's breeze blew the smell of gunpowder away as Hancock called out, "Abigail?"

     "Silence you unworthy cretin! The Silver Shroud has no patience for the likes of you!"

     Hancock rolled his eyes. The rush of Psycho was wearing off and the drunken haze was beginning to return, "And I have no patience for you, Shroud."

     Piper's eyes narrowed under her silver fedora as she snapped back, "That's Silver Shroud to you!"

     Hancock ignored her as he looked up at the ship once more. Cupping his hands over his mouth as he yelled, "Abigail!"

     The lookout Mr. Handy hovered towards them as it stated, "Only Congressional soldiers are permit'd aboard. Off with ye!"

     Preston stated as he rejoined the group, "Our General is up there."

     "I'm right here, Preston."

     The group turned to see Abigail walk from a ruined building near the ship's bow. Piper burst through Preston and Hancock, running up to Abigail before throwing her arms around her. Abigail's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected greeting before muttering, "I see you are still wearing the costume..."

     "What this?" Piper said as she released Abigail from her grasp and pulled at the hems of her trench coat, "The Silver Shroud shall never be unshrouded of her silver cloak of justice!"

     Abigail laughed as she replied, "Voice still needs some work though..."

     "You alright, general?" Preston asked as he took his turn to greet her. He reached out a hand to grasp her arm, pulling her to face him as he looked her up and down.

     "Nothing I couldn't handle." Abigail's gaze met Hancock's before she turned on her heel and walked back into the ruined building. Calling over her shoulder, "You guys are just in time for the ship's launch."

     "Uhhhh... launch?" Piper said nervously as she watched Hancock and Preston follow Abigail inside.

     Staring down at her from a makeshift balcony on the second story, Abigail laughed, "What? You aren't coming for this?"

     "I prefer it when there's no danger of me falling through three stories of ruined floors. Thank you very much."

     "Suit yourself, Shroud." Abigail chuckled as she ducked out of view. Preston and Hancock followed her up another flight of stairs to the third floor, where several generators were hooked up to a circuit breaker. The three had a perfect view of the ship through a broken window that had crumbled to the point that half the back wall was gone.

     Hancock watched a small smile form on Abigail's lips as her fingers traced along the circuit breaker before pulling down the lever inside. A low rumble shook the ground beneath them as Captain Ironsides called out, "Commencing vital countdown! Three... Two... One! Mr. Navigator lit the engines!"

     The rumbling grew louder as the ship began breaking away from it's perch. The three could hear Piper scream below them, "Shit! Shit! Shit!" as she ran for cover in the ruined building beneath them.

     Ironsides bellow echoed around him as he declared, "Dreaded Savings and Loans! We shall be moored no longer!"

     Smoke made by the USS Constitution's rockets formed a thick fog in the surrounding ruins, making the ship appear to be flying through the clouds. This illusion was made a reality a moment later as the rockets blasted it into the air, the ship sailing off into the distance.

    "Beautiful..." Abigail's voice whispered into the air around them as the ship continued to soar.

     Hancock tilted his head as he muttered, "They are heading straight for that skyscraper..."

     "They have had centuries to plan this launch... Surely they are going to stir it out of the way." Preston said as he looked to Abigail.

     Abigail's focus didn't leave the ship as it continued to head for the massive ruined building in the distance. Had she really spent all that time and effort only to watch the ship blow up in front of her? Better the robots do it then the scarvers, she reckoned as the USS Constitution made contact with the skyscraper. The ground shook beneath them as the building began to crumble in the distance, a cloud of rubble blocking their view of the ship.

     "You've got to be kidding me..." Hancock muttered in disbelief as the smoke cleared, revealing the ship on it's new, even higher perch.

     "So... That's progress." Piper said as she poked her head up from the stairwell. Shrugging her shoulders as she added, "Not a lot."

     "Well, at least we know how it got up there." Preston shifted his weight to his back leg, crossing his arms as he said, "Not that anybody will believe us..."

     Abigail remained silent as she stared up at the skyscraper in the distance, could she really have imagined 200 years ago that the historic USS Constitution would sit atop one of Boston's skyscrapers? Of course not, but then again she couldn't imagine most of what had transpired during her cryogenic slumber. What building was that anyways?

     Abigail's eyes widen as the answer dawned on her, her laughter echoing throughout the ruins below as she doubled over in a fit of giggles. Her companions stared down at her in shock, each glancing at the other, wondering what the hell was going on. Preston rested a hand on her shoulder as he asked in a bewildered voice, "General, are you okay?"

     "Yes, Preston." Abigail managed to reply as she wiped a tear from her eye. Pausing from her laughter as she stared over her shoulder at Preston.

     "Then what is it?"

     Abigail stifled another laugh as she pointed up at the USS Constitution miles away on its new home, her voice a breathless whisper as she answered, "That's the fucking Weatherby Investment Trust building!" before falling into another fit of giggles.

      Piper's laugh joined hers as she exclaimed, "You mean to tell me... that they just launched from one Weatherby building to another?"

     The girls continued to laugh as Preston and Hancock exchanged looks. Hancock shrugged his shoulders as he muttered, "I guess it's kinda funny."

     "Are you kidding, Hancock? My readers are gonna love this." Piper said when she finally stopped laughing, taking out a pad of paper and jotting down a few notes. She made a small squeak as the floorboards creaked under her. Freezing for a moment before running down the stairwell, she called out behind her, "Meet you guys outside!"

     Hancock's gaze found it's way back to Abigail as she began to cross the room to follow Piper. Cutting her off, he asked, "Can we talk for a sec', sunshine?"

     As Preston went to step between them, Abigail held her hand out to stop him. Her smile disappeared from her face as she stared up at Hancock, her words were short as she answered, "Make it quick."

     Hancock's head felt like it was swimming as all the things he wanted to say got jumbled together in his mind. Sorting through his mind sober was hard enough, how the hell was he going to do it when he was almost too plastered to stand?

     "It's just... being out here with you, it's made me realize. Most of my life to this point, I've been running out on the good things I got. I skipped out on my family, my life in Diamond City. Took up with you just to get outta Goodneighbor. I mean... Running from myself is what made me into a damn ghoul." Hancock knew he sounded like an idiot, knew she could smell the alcohol on his breath, but he had to keep trying. He struggled to find the right words as he continued, "But being here with you, for the first time in my life, things have just felt... right. And running, it's the furthest thing from my mind. I mean-"

     "So says the man who ran a few hours ago." Abigail's voice was almost as cold as her stare as she looked up at him. As Hancock opened his mouth to speak, Abigail cut him off, "Save it, Hancock. You're drunk."

     As Abigail walked around him towards the stairwell, Hancock's voice trailed after her, "Abigail..."

     "Go home, Hancock." Was all Abigail said as she made her way down the stairs, Preston tight on her heels. The last thing Hancock saw was Preston's smile as they disappeared from sight.

 


	36. The Makings of a Stalker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! Three days in a row! I'm on a roll!!!
> 
> Enjoy :)

 

     "She's not just gonna walk through that door just because you want her to."

     Hancock didn't reply as he rested his head against one of the Old State House windows. His fingers trailed after the droplets of the morning dew on the other side of the window that the sun hadn't had a chance to melt away. It was still early in the day and normally he would already be high at this point, but not even the chems could soothe the turmoils that constantly tugged and prodded at him from the subconscious parts of his mind.

     Abigail was gone and there was a chance he may never see her again. Hancock had let his judgment become clouded and he had acted impulsively, now he worried he may never be able to set things right and repair the damage he had done to Abigail's trust in him.

     "You know where she is. Stop sulking and go get her."

     Fahrenheit's voice lingered around him again, but he couldn't seem to drag his attention away from the window. In the small likelihood Abigail came back, he didn't want to miss the chance of seeing her.

     Hancock's voice was a low growl as he replied, "Only I don't know... She could be anywhere."

     "Boss..." Fahrenheit's voice was uncharacteristically gentle, managing to hold Hancock's focus for a moment, "The Watch is getting nervous. They say you're not acting yourself."

     "You think that fucking matters to me right now?"

     "Fucking pathetic..." Fahrenheit rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall beside him, "You are seriously going to standby while everything you've built crumbles around you just because you're 'latest squeeze' grew tired of your bullshit?"

     Hancock turned silent once more as his gaze found it's way back out the window. His bodyguard grew more impatient as she said, "How the fuck did you think this was gonna end, boss? You were just gonna leave Goodneighbor indefinitely? Or was she was going to resign as the Minutemen General and move in here? You were going to have little ghoul babies together? Are you really that delusional? You're not that guy, Hancock."

     Hancock stood silently for a moment before he muttered under his breath, "I fucking know that."

     "Then what is it, Hancock?"

     "I fucking love her!" Hancock yelled, his voice echoing off the walls as he turned to glare at Fahrenheit.

     Hancock's bodyguard crossed her arms as she scoffed, "Well fucking hallelujah, I didn't know you had it in you." Raising an eyebrow, she added, "So what's the plan, boss?"

     "Plan? You think I have a fucking plan? This is the plan."

     "Well sulking is bad for moral. How about you get off your ass and go get her."

     "I already fucking told you... She could be anywhere."

     "Well lucky for you... She just walked through the front gate."

     Hancock spun around on his heels. Two stories below them the gate to Goodneighbor was being held open by the Minutemen's number one boy scout, his colonial duster was soaked in morning dew. Piper walked through next, still fashioning her Silver Shroud costume, her silver fedora hiding the expression on her face. A moment later Abigail appeared, Hancock felt his breath get caught in his throat as he watched her. Emotions that were hard to identify flooded his system as his heart began to pound in his chest. The three walked past the shops near the front gate and past the balcony that Hancock had hung Vic from all those years ago.

     Hancock gaze followed them as he walked from window to window, oblivious to Fahrenheit silently rolling her eyes behind him. He could feel a mixture of hope and dread rising inside of him, he wanted Abigail to look up, to see him watching her, but was scared of what emotions may cloud within those copper eyes. Hancock didn't get a chance at either, because she didn't even glance his way as the group made their way to the Memory Den.

     "No excuses..." Hancock could hear Fahrenheit whisper over his shoulder, "Go get her, boss."

     But Hancock didn't hear her as he ducked through the doorway and made his way to the streets of Goodneighbor below. Hancock didn't think, didn't feel, as he walked in a daze towards the Memory Den. What was he going to say? Hancock froze as his hand rested on the doorknob. He wasn't ready to face Abigail yet, he knew that. But he still had to see her. Hancock slowly turned the knob as he silently crept inside.

     The entrance was empty as Hancock quietly shut the door behind him. He could hear Abigail and her companions in the main lobby talking to Irma although he couldn't make out what they were saying. Hancock stuck to the shadows created by the flicker of candles within the painting adorn brick walls as he made his way down the hallway.

      "She's downstairs, sweetheart." Hancock could hear Irma say as he poked his head around the corner. The group stood at the foot of Irma's sofa at the back of the lobby, surrounded by memory loungers and antique furniture, dusty curtains hung from the ceiling, while the floors were littered with rubbish.

     As Preston, Abigail, and Piper made their way down the stairs to the left, Hancock held a finger to his lips as Irma changed her focus to him. A knowing smile crossed her lips as Hancock quietly crossed the room and went down the opposing stairs to the right. The squeaky floorboards remain silent beneath him as he skillfully made his way to the basement.

     Crossing the hallway, Hancock stopped just outside the doorway to Amari's laboratory. He could hear Amari greet them, her excited voice flooding into the hallway, "You're back. The Glowing Sea. Virgil. What happened?"

     Hancock thought his heart would stop when Abigail's voice met his ears, "I found Virgil. He has a way inside the Institute, but I need a code from this Courser Chip."

     Of course! That's why Abigail and her companions had come back to Goodneighbor. What good was having a chip from an Institute Courser's noggin if you couldn't unlock it?

     Amari's voice sounded skeptical as she replied, "A Courser Chip? You fought a Courser? Oh my god." Amari paused, Hancock didn't have to look to know she was holding her chin as she contemplated, "Unfortunately, I can't help you. I've worked on a lot of Synths, but never a Courser. I don't know what that chip does, let alone how to decode it. But there are people who might. I work with a group that... well, they're the only ones I know that even have a chance at cracking Institute security. They're called the Railroad."

     Piper's gasp made Hancock fear he had been discovered before he heard Abigail's soft voice wisped around his ears as she replied, "I've heard of them... how do I find them?"

     The Railroad? Hancock's heart kicked into overdrive as he listened silently. He'd heard of them too, knew they requited folks from Goodneighbor. Hancock had always suspected Amari was helping them, but never was tempted to interfere.

     Amari's voice replaced Abigail's as she continued, "I can't contact them directly. They usually come to me, when they have a synth that's escaped the Institute and wants new memories. But I do have a code phrase. Some kind of clue if I ever needed to find them on my own. 'Follow the Freedom Trail'."

     "Could it really be that simple?" Hancock could hear Abigail muse before Preston said, "We'll find them, general."

     Hancock risked a peek around the corner, just in time to watch Preston put a reassuring hand on Abigail's shoulder. He could feel his own turning into fists as he watched the two for a moment, before ducking back behind the wall once more. He knew their conversation was going to end soon and he needed to leave the Memory Den before that happened.

     Hancock could hear Amari's voice trail behind him as he made his way back down the hallway, "Good luck. I'm sorry what I have is so cryptic, but hopefully you can figure things out as you go."

     "We will." Hancock heard Abigail reply as he disappeared upstairs.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has nothing to do with my story BUT last night I had my first deja vu dream.
> 
> I had a friend from out of town visiting that I hadn't seen in years. The last time I saw him he was just getting out of the military and one of the common things that most of them do is grow a beard as soon as they get out. So when he came to visit he had one and it looked really good and I told him so a few times last night. So we hung out and had fun then I went home and feel asleep. This is the part that gets weird. I woke up and I was going to text him that I really like his beard again but for some reason I said it out loud. Then I heard him say "Oh you mean this beard that I could never imagine shaving off?" and I roll over and I see him sitting at the foot of my bed AND HIS BEARD WAS GONE! I gasped, woke up, rolled over, and he was GONE! And I'm looking around thinking to myself: oh shit am I still dreaming? Because everything in my room had been the EXACT same as in my dream, even the lighting!
> 
> Anyways it was the weirdest thing I have dreamed of in a while (still tripping out about it apparently) and I was wondering if anyone else reading this has ever experienced something similar.


	37. Round Two

     "Evening, Boss."

     Hancock gave the bouncer a curt nod as he entered the Third Rail. Normally he would have stopped to catch up with him, but all his thoughts were consumed with Abigail. He had a second chance to tell her how he felt and he had no intention of letting this chance go to waste.

     Hancock had waited before following Abigail to the Third Rail, didn't want to come across as a stalker, even though one could argue he sure was acting like one. But he couldn't seem to move his feet to descend down the stairs into the bar area below.

     So he remained motionless at the top of the stairs until a familiar voice said behind him, "Stand aside or face the wrath of the Silver Shroud!"

     A small smile crossed Hancock's lips as he turned to see Piper in her Silver Shroud costume. He managed a laugh before telling her, "Kent's gonna want that back at some point, you know... Besides don't you have an article to write, sister?"

     Piper's eyes narrowed as she replied, "Superman managed to do both."

     Hancock chuckled as he asked her, "Setting your sights a little high, aren't ya?"

     "The Silver Shroud has no time for the likes of you!" Piper declared in a raised voice before running down the stairs and out of sight.

     The time to move was now, Hancock knew that. Piper was probably telling Preston that he had arrived and he needed to act now before Preston had a chance to intercept him.

     When he finally descended the stairs down to the bar area, he found Abigail sitting at the counter with her usual glass of whiskey. The Third Rail's jazz singer, Magnolia, was leaning over the bar beside her. The singer's musical laugh filled the room as she glanced over her shoulder towards Abigail.

     Preston and Piper were sitting at a table a few yards away. Both of them staring at Abigail as they sipped their beers. Hancock managed to hear the tail end of Magnolia and Abigail's conversation as his feet carried him closer.

     "Now there's something special about you isn't there? Don't tell me. Let me guess..." Magnolia mused as she looked Abigail up and down.

 _Oh Mags, you have no idea..._ Hancock chuckled to himself as he approached them.

     Magnolia paused as she playfully tapped a finger against her chin before saying, "Ah, that's it. You have that 'I'm the smartest one here and I know it' posture."

     "Can't help it when it's true." Abigail gave a weak smile as she took a sip of her whiskey.

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at Magnolia as her fingers traced along Abigail's arm, her voice turning into a purr as she continued, "There's something so irresistible about intelligence, don't you think?"

     "I couldn't agree more, Mags. But there's more to this one than meets the eye." Hancock said as he took a seat next to Abigail. Magnolia straightened up her stance as she glanced between Abigail and Hancock. Her smile returning as she said to Hancock, "Well I better get back to it. Hopefully you can make this poor girl smile."

     Hancock's voice lowered to a playful growl as Magnolia turned to walk back to the stage, "Oh I intend to..."

     Silence fell between them only broken by the low hum created by the other patrons. After a few moments, Abigail stated without even glancing in his direction, "Job's done. Sinjin's dead."

     Hancock leaned his head back to stare up at the ceiling as he answered in a low voice, "So down goes the big, bad Sinjin. We get to walk that tightrope of freedom one more day." Hancock felt around in his pockets before pulling out a small bag of caps. Setting it down on the counter between them, he added, "Take this, for the effort."

     Abigail eyed the caps for a moment before enclosing her fingers around it. Her voice was cold as she replied, "The world's better off without him."

     "And the future a little brighter."

     Abigail glanced up at Hancock, their eyes locked for an instant as Abigail contemplated something. When it was clear she had come to a conclusion, she said in a soft voice, "You were saying something the last time we spoke. I'd like to hear it."

     Hancock froze as he stared into those copper eyes. This was the moment he had been pleading for that he had played through his mind a thousand times and yet he couldn't seem to find the words to tell her.

     "I will... This is just tricky..."

     Hancock motioned to Charlie for a drink. As the Mr. Handy set Hancock's usual drink in front of him, Hancock paused to swirl the liquid in his glass. Just as he was about to down it in a single gulp, Abigail held her hand over Hancock's glass. Her stare was unyielding as she said, "I'd like to hear it while you're sober."

     Glancing around the bar, Hancock asked,"Do you mind if we have some privacy, sunshine?"

     "Sure." Abigail said with a curt nod as she stood and began walking to the back room of the Third Rail. She held her hand out to stop her companions as they stood to follow her. Hancock catching a glare from Preston as he followed Abigail through the doorway. The room was already empty when they entered, a thin cloud of smoke glowed pink under the fluorescent lights above them, empty liquor bottles were scattered across the floor. After Hancock shut the door behind them, he and Abigail both sat on the sofa against the wall just as they had done the first time they had shared drinks all that time ago.

     "You remember the first time we had drinks here, sister?"

     Abigail glanced over her glass at Hancock before replying, "Of course. Drinks with the mayor isn't something you forget easily." She raised an eyebrow at Hancock as she finished, "I'm surprised you remembered any of it through your drug haze."

     Hancock laughed nervously as he played with his drink in his hands, "Drinks with you isn't something you forget easily either, sunshine."

     Hancock could feel a lump forming in his throat. Talking with her had never felt this difficult before. Why was this so hard? Perhaps it was because if he screwed this up again she might leave and never give him the time of day again.

     Finally working up the nerve to speak, Hancock said, "Listen, what I failed to tell you before was I left Goodneighbor thinking I was gonna just sharpen up the 'ol killer instinct.  But whether it was fate or destiny or just God damn coincidence, I ended up traveling with someone like you." Hancock paused as he closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts before saying, "I turned one of the nastiest settlements in the Commonwealth into a refuge for the lost. I thought I'd done something I could hang my hat on. But being out there with you..."

     Hancock's gaze found it's way back to Abigail, he took a moment to admire how the dim light drew attention to her soft features as he continued, "It's made me realize just how small time I'd been thinking. And that maybe all my running from my life, myself... maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all..."

     "And how long's it going to be before you abandon me too?" Abigail didn't look up as her words cut him.

     "I deserve that..." Hancock muttered as he leaned back into the sofa. He stared at the overhang lights as he said, "You've got nothing to worry about, sunshine. After you left... I've had time to think about what I want and what's important to me. And it's you."

     Hancock turned his head to watch Abigail stare down at her drink as he said, "So lemme get to the point. Throwing in with you has been the best decision I've ever made. It's like I found a part of myself I never realized was missing... which happens sometimes when you're a ghoul. If I hadn't taken up with you, I'd probably be in a gutter somewhere, getting gnawed on by radroaches. You saved my life, Abigail. And all this time I've spent without you has made me realize... that I need you in my life."

     Abigail looked up at Hancock, a smile crossing her lips as she said, "I know the feeling..." Abigail paused as she set her drink down on the coffee table, her voice turning into a whisper as she closed the remaining distance between them, "You're a damn fine man, Hancock. I'm lucky to have you at my side."

     Crossing her leg over Hancock's lap as she situated herself over him. Her lips barely touched his as she stared into those inky black eyes, "I've had time to think while we were apart too. And I've realized something that scares the shit out of me...." Her next words wisped around his ears as she whispered, "I love you, John Hancock."

     Hancock stared into those copper eyes with disbelief, this was all he had hoped for and more. He couldn't hold himself back any longer, as his lips seized hers. He had no idea what he had done to deserve someone like her but he wasn't about to let her escape his grasp again. His voice was a growl laced in desire as he said between kisses, "You are... my fucking world... Abigail..."

     He could feel Abigail's fingers trailing along the grooves created by his ghoulish skin as her hands made their way under his shirt. Their kiss deepened as he found himself grabbing her thighs and pulling her closer to him.

     "John, I need you..."

     There it was. The words he so badly wanted to hear. _Fuck..._ He wanted her, _needed_ her just as much, probably more. Her jacket was off as soon as he had finished unzipping it and tossed it aside. Hancock didn't even bother trying to slip her undershirt over her head as he tore it from her slender frame and threw it on the ground beside her jacket. Hancock hadn't even noticed that Abigail had removed his own shirt and frock, his focus was too intent on Abigail, on the prize he had been waiting so long to claim as his.

     A growl escaped Hancock's lips as he freed Abigail's breasts, nestling one in his hand as he tenderly kissed the other. Abigail leaned her head back as she moaned with ecstasy. Hancock's hand moved to unbutton her pants, sliding them down her thighs and to the ground below before his fingers circled her already wet slit. He paused from his kisses to watch her face as his fingers enticed her, slipping in and out as his thumb moved along her clit. Her dark silhouette a reminder of the drug haze when he had first dreamed of this very encountered, yet it was already so much more than he had imagined.

     Hancock dared anyone to interrupt them, to try and stop him. Nothing would keep Abigail from him, not so long as there was fight still in him and breath in his lungs. He would protect her from anyone, anything. She was his and he was hers. And he would reign hell on anyone who objected.

     Hancock's fingers moved further inside of her. He needed to be deeper, wanted to consume her as he stood and carried her to the wall. He leaned one hand against the cold brick as he firmly gripped her ass with the other, suspending her over his hard member.

     Hancock could feel Abigail's ankles lock together behind him as he began to thrust his manhood inside of her, starting off slowly but increasing in speed as he felt her tighten around his hard cock. His kisses trailed up her neck until he softly nipped at her ear as he whispered, "I don't deserve you."

     Hancock's lips returned to Abigail's as a moan began to form deep in her throat. He swallowed it greedily as he enticed her further, his tongue playfully dancing with hers. He reveled in the sweetness of her kiss, in the passion that she had kept hidden away from him, but now was on the verge of overflowing.

    The cold touch of the wall on her back made her cling to Hancock tighter, willing him deeper inside of her. The world around them became a distant memory as they gave in to their wants and desires.

     "I fucking love you, Abigail..."

     Abigail's mind was consumed with nothing but thoughts of Hancock. The sound of his voice sending waves of passion through her body. Wetness flowed from her slit as her body begged for more. To which Hancock was more then happy to oblige.

     Abigail's back arched as she moaned into their kiss, her pussy tightening as her orgasm sent spasms of ecstasy through her body. Hancock's thrusts became more erotic as he neared his own. When he was unable to resist any longer, he seized her in his grip as he gave a final thrust spraying his cum inside of her.

     Abigail went limp in his arms as she reveled in the high he had given her. Leaning her head against the brick wall, Abigail closed her eyes as she said in a breathless whisper, " _Fuck..._ "

     "My thoughts exactly, sunshine..." Hancock chuckled as he kissed along her chest. Abigail gave a weak protest as Hancock pulled his cock from her slit. Bringing his forehead to rest on her's, their gazes became locked together. Neither wanting to break the moment they had built together. But reality came knocking as the door slammed open.

 


	38. You Did What?

 

     "Blue! Kent says I have to give my costume back!" Piper whined as she burst into the room. She froze in place when she saw Abigail, completely naked, still suspended against the wall by a shirtless Hancock.

     Piper raised a hand to shield her eyes as she exclaimed, "Oh my God! I can never unsee this!"

     "Well..." Abigail muttered as her feet met the ground once more, "A half dozen of my men have seen me naked already, why not my best friend too?"

     Preston burst through the door a moment later, freezing in place as the realization of what had just transpired between Abigail and Hancock dawned on him. Abigail rolled her eyes as she added, "And my Second in Command..." Abigail raised her voice as she asked, "Anyone else out there want to see a show?"

     "It's an antique, Miss Piper! It needs to be preserved! Like the Silver Should said in episode 254..." Kent's voice trailed off as he entered the room, his eyes widened as they fell onto Abigail's bare skin.

     Abigail glanced over her shoulder to see Hancock's cocky grin as he raised his hands defensively, before stating, "Don't mind me... Just enjoying the view."

     A growl escaped Abigail's lips as she picked up Hancock's red frock from the floor and held it over her chest. Looking back at the crowd that had gathered, she barked, "Piper, I borrowed that costume from Kent to clean up Goodneighbor. Sinjin's dead and Kent wants it back, don't you Kent?"

     Kent stood frozen in place, his eyes were the size of ceramic ashtrays as he glanced between Hancock, who'd just finished tucking everything back into his pants, and Abigail. When he realized Abigail was waiting for a response, he quickly nodded his head before diverting his eyes once more.

     "But Blue!" Piper whined as she lowered her hand to give Abigail a pleading look.

     "Piper..."

     "Ugh! Fine!" Piper huffed as she took her fedora and trenchcoat off, tossing them into Kent's outstretched arms, before she crossed her arms with another huff.

     Abigail pinched the bridge of her nose as she muttered, "And the submachine gun..."

     Piper gave Abigail a look before pulling the rifle from her back and placed it on top of the Silver Shroud costume in Kent's arms. With uncertainty, Kent glanced back at Abigail before giving her a quick bow and scurrying out of the room, leaving Preston, Piper, Abigail, and Hancock to dwell in an uncomfortable silence in his wake.

     The four of them stood awkwardly for a moment, none of them wanting to be the first to speak. Except Hancock, who chuckled as he grabbed his and Abigail's shirts from the floor, "Well this has been one of my more..." Hancock paused as he smirked at Preston and Piper, "...memorable encounters. Sure hope the feeling's mutual..."

     Preston could feel his hands clenching into fists at his side as he spat, "Is this a fucking joke to you?"

     "Quite the contrary, boy scout." Hancock said as he pulled his shirt over his head. Nodding towards Abigail, he added, "This one just rocked my world."

     "Ewww!" Piper said as she held her hands over her ears, shrinking away from his words before looking over at Abigail as she pulled her pants over her legs and buttoned them, "Blue, why?"

     "Why what?" Abigail asked with annoyance as she took her own shirt from Hancock. She gave him an exasperated look when she held it up to realize it had been torn to shreds. Her irritation was melted away by Hancock's cocky grin as he muttered under his breath, "Just wear my jacket until we find you another one."

     "You know what!" Piper exclaimed as she pointed a finger at Hancock, "Why him? What is he holding over your head?"

     "Just say the word, general. We can help you." Preston said when he finally found his voice.

     "Are you fucking kidding me?" Abigail spat as she stared at the two of them in disbelief. Pausing before she stated, "I love him. Alright? Isn't that enough of a reason?"

     Preston's voice faltered, "You _love_ him?"

     Hancock let out a laugh as he replied, "I know it may be hard for you to believe, boy scout. But hardly anyone can resist the allure of the zombie king."

     Preston's eyes narrowed as he rounded on Hancock, "You abandoned Abigail outside of Bunker Hill, forcing her to fend for herself against a bunch of cut throats and I'm supposed to believe she allowed you to deflower her the next time you two spoke?"

     "Interesting choice of words..." Piper mused as she glanced between Preston and Hancock.

     Abigail finished pulling her hands through the sleeves of Hancock's jacket, the hem trailing down past her knees. She so badly wanted to escape from this conversation as she wrapped her arms around herself, muttering, "Uhhh... I was deflowered over 200 years ago, Preston."

     "That's not the point." Preston snapped, not taking his eyes off of Hancock.

     "I can be very persuasive..." Hancock shrugged, a grin still planted on his face.

     “You fucking-”

     "That's enough!" Abigail snapped as she stepped between them, "Preston, I know you are always looking out for me and I appreciate that, but I'm a big girl, capable of making my own choices. I love him and he loves me. And that's that."

     "But-" Preston started to argue before Abigail interrupted him, "Hancock and I had conflicting opinions about helping Ironsides outside of Bunker Hill. Instead of discussing it like an adult, I stormed off. So don't blame Hancock, because it's as much my fault as it is his."

     "But I never would have left you!" Preston finally brought his gaze to met her's. Abigail could see the pain in his eyes as he finished, "How can you trust him?"

     Abigail was silent as Preston stared her down, before she replied, "I just do."

     "So..." Piper said as she took a step closer. Holding her hands behind her back as she asked, "Does this mean he's coming with us to find the Railroad?"

     "We haven't discussed that yet."

     "Kind of an important question though, isn't it?" Preston snapped as he crossed his arms.

     "Piss off, boy scout. Don't have to be rude just because you ain't gettin' any."

     "What the fuck did you just say to me?" Preston spat as he and Hancock squared off in front of each other.

     Sensing the growing hostility between them, Abigail cut in, "Okay, let's take a time out and discuss this after everyone has calmed down..."

     "I am-" Preston started to say before Piper interrupted him, "No, Preston. You really aren't. Come on, let's finish that beer."

     Preston didn't put up a fight as Piper grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him out of the room. Hancock leaned closer to Abigail as he whispered, "Got a surprise for you upstairs, sunshine."

     "Spoiler alert! It's his penis!" Piper called from over her shoulder as she disappeared from the room, Preston stealing one final glance at Abigail before Piper pulled him out of sight.

     "That wouldn't be much of a surprise..." Hancock chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Abigail and lead her out into the bar area once more. The patrons shot the pair curious glances as they made their way to the stairs and out of the Third Rail. The citizens of Goodneighbor continued to stare at them as they walked towards the door of the Old State House.

     Confused, Abigail asked, "Why is everyone staring?"

     Hancock chuckled as he pulled her closer to him, "I don't lend my jacket to just anyone, sunshine."

     Abigail looked down at the red frock that fit her more like a dress then a jacket. She recalled a time in college when Nate had come to visit her at the campus' dormitory. After sex, Nate had paraded her around in his shirt in the same fashion as Hancock was doing now, marking her as his own. A smile crossed Abigail's lips as she pulled at the hem of Hancock's jacket that mind as well have been a flag claiming his new territory. It had been so long since she had been with someone like this, Abigail was surprised at how easily she had fallen back into it.

     Hancock held the door to the Old State House open for her as he guided her inside. Letting the door close behind him as he took her by the hand and lead her upstairs and down the hallway to his bedroom. Raising an eyebrow at the bed, Abigail joked, "Are you sure the surprise isn't your penis?"

     Hancock laughed as he pulled something wrapped in an old cloth from behind the door. Turning it over in his hands as he crossed the room to stand over her.

     "I'm sure..." Hancock paused as he held it out to her, "I made you a little something."

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at him as she slowly took it from his grasp. "When did you find time to make this?"

     "While you were on your trip..."

     Abigail and Hancock exchanged a smile as Abigail unwrapped the cloth to reveal some sort of handmade gauntlet made from three deathclaw finger bones, each of which were tipped with a razor sharp claw. Abigail gasped as she turned it over in her hands. A smile grew across her lips as she beamed up at Hancock, "You made this... for me?"

     "I thought of making it back at the Glowing Sea. I remember you telling me about why you wore Kellogg's clothes and..." Hancock paused as he slipped the gauntlet over Abigail's hand and tightened the strap around her wrist. "What better kleos is there then using the body of your defeated enemy as a weapon?"

     Abigail's fingers closed around the handle. Each of the deathclaw’s bones were the same length as her forearm, making the gauntlet feel like an extension of her very arm as she raised the weapon closer to her face so she could admire it. "It's beautiful..."

     "And more subtle then a ripper." Hancock chuckled as he went to stand behind Abigail, his fingers trailing up her arm as he whispered,"Remember to use this like a deathclaw would, slashing motions. Like this..." His hand clasped her arm as he guided it into a slashing motion.

     Abigail caught herself leaning into his touch, smiling at him from over her shoulder as she asked, "So... Are you coming with me to find the Railroad?"

     His laugh was almost a purr in her ear as he replied, "What can I say? Following you has become my life's calling, sunshine."

     Her voice turned playful as she said, "Well I'd hate to deprive you of that..."

     "Then I guess it's settled. So where to?"

     A black abyss was consumed in a simmer of copper as Abigail stared into Hancock's eyes, whispering, "Follow the freedom trail."

     A grin grew across Hancock's lips as he asked, "Any idea what that means, sunshine?"

     "I have an idea..."

     Abigail gave Hancock a knowing smile before playfully bringing her lips to meet his.


	39. Follow the Freedom Trail

 

     "Thing sure is ugly now..." Piper said with a look of disgust as she nudged Swan's headless corpse with her boot, a few disturbed flies buzzed around her angrily before landing on the rotten flesh once more, "Can only imagine the level of ugly this thing was _with_ it's head..."

     "Why didn't you call for backup?" Preston asked with annoyance as he turned to face Abigail and Hancock. The Boston Common around them was silent. The pond in the center of the clearing sparkled in the sunlight as it reveled in the loss of its irradiated guardian.

     "Don't you think that would've been the first thing we tried, boy scout?" Hancock muttered, his gaze followed Abigail as she turned towards a ruined fountain at the edge of the Boston Common. Her companions followed her as she knelt at the foot of an old bronze seal embedded in the ground at her feet. Abigail's fingers trailed along it's engraved letters that still showed clearly even after centuries of wear and abuse: The Freedom Trail.

     Abigail looked up to see a sign leaning against the old fountain that read: At Journey's End Follow Freedom's Lantern. The group stared back down at the seal, where red bricks were laid out in a clear path, jetting off into the distance and around a corner to their right.

     "Okay... So we just follow the brick path until we see a lantern?" Piper asked in a quizzical voice from the back of the group.

     "It can't be this simple..." Abigail mused as she began to follow the trail. Piper picked up the pace to walk beside Abigail as she chuckled, "I swear if finding the Railroad is going to be this easy, I obviously failed as a reporter..."

     "What is this trail anyways, sunshine?" Hancock asked as they rounded the corner out of Boston Common, "Thing looks prewar."

     "That's because it is..." Abigail said as she glanced over her shoulder at Hancock before continuing, "There's a lot of history here. The Freedom Trail was made to serve as a guide for people curious about their nation's history..."

     Abigail pointed back the way they had come before adding, "The Boston Common was our nation's oldest public park. People fired off fireworks there to celebrate the end of the Revolutionary War and it continued to be a historic sight hundreds of years later. Many of our nation's civil rights rallies and protests were staged there."

     Pointing to a ruined brick building adorned with large white pillars and dozens of shattered windows, topped with a golden dome, as they passed, Abigail went on, "That there is the Massachusetts State Building. In my time, government officials conducted their daily operations there but..." Abigail chuckled as she looked back at Hancock, "Before this building was constructed, this land was used by the original John Hancock as a cow pasture."

     "Huh... Nice to know it's not just the post-apocalyptic governments that were founded on shit." Piper chuckled to herself.

     A cocky grin grew across Hancock's face as he mused, "Maybe _this_ John Hancock should restore it to it's former glory..."

     "Good luck with that... The place is infested with Mirelurks." Preston muttered from behind Abigail.

     "Boy scout..." Hancock chuckled, "How did you know I was in the mood for crab cakes?"

     "You'll have to put your seafood buffet on hold, mayor." Piper chimed in as she balled her hands into fists in excitement, "We are on a mission to find the Railroad!"

     "Might want to refrain from talking too loud, Piper." Abigail whispered as she ducked behind a corner.

     "What is it?" Piper whispered back as the group stopped behind Abigail.

     "Ferals..."

     The group fell silent long enough to hear the familiar growl of feral ghouls on the other side of the building. Hancock pulled his knife from inside of his jacket with a smirk, his voice a low growl, "What do you say, sister? Swift and silent?"

     Abigail nodded as she rifled through her pack for a moment before pulling out her gauntlet Hancock had made her.

     "What the hell is that?" Preston whispered as he watched Abigail strapping the gauntlet to her wrist.

     "Hancock calls it a deathclaw gauntlet." Abigail said with a smirk as she peeked around the edge of the building. A rusted bus was parked outside of an old graveyard nestled between the prewar buildings, a half dozen ferals lazily wandered between the worn gravestones.

     Abigail looked over her shoulder at Piper and Preston as she whispered, "Hancock and I are going to sneak around the bus. When we are in position, you two draw their attention so we can take them out from behind."

     Both of them nodded their heads silently as Abigail and Hancock crept behind the rundown bus, laying in wait until they heard the thunderous blast of Preston's laser musket followed by the softer bursts of Piper's 10mm pistol. As the ghouls turned their focus towards Piper and Preston, Abigail and Hancock quietly made their way closer to the unsuspecting ferals. Hancock reached one first, his movements becoming a blur as he drug his knife along the irradiated flesh. The feral's final hiss was muffled by gunfire as it collapsed on the ground at his feet.

     Abigail quickened her pace as she approached her target, it's back still turned toward her. Thrusting her gauntlet in an upper slashing motion the same way she had watched a deathclaw attack so many times before, the gauntlet's talons cut through the feral's rotten flesh and bones with ease. The irradiated creature let out a sharp hiss as it jerked it arms and curled it's back in pain, before it too collapsed on the ground.

     Hancock and Abigail covertly thinned the horde as Preston and Piper held their firing line. Abigail could hear her heart beat pounding in her ears as her adrenaline kicked in. Her focus became sharper and her strikes hit harder as she slashed through the ferals undetected until a menacing growl came from behind her. Abigail could hear Hancock call out to her as she turned to face the danger, but not soon enough before she felt something knock her off her feet.

     As she laid sprawled out on the ground, Abigail looked up to see two ghouls sprinting towards her. Abigail rolled behind a headstone as the one closest to her lunged at her legs. The feral fell to the ground, a mess of thrashing limbs as it struggled to recover its footing. Abigail felt her heart skip a beat as the second ghoul closed the distance between them.

     As Abigail moved her arms to shield her face, she could hear the gurgled roar as the second ghoul threw itself on top of the first. Lowering her arms, Abigail watched as the ghoul dug its nails into the other feral, tearing its flesh from its limbs. The feral under it hissed as it failed to free itself from the ghoul's grasp, it's irradiated blood spraying out in every direction. Finally the feral beneath went limp as a final gurgling breath escaped it's lungs.

     Finished with its victim, the victorious ghoul turned its focus onto Abigail. It's blood soaked hands became caked in dirt as it crawled on all fours towards her. Abigail could see it's spine protruding from its loose flesh, barely covered by the rags that it wore. The feral's movements were almost cat like as it closed the distance between them.

     The surrounding gunfire became muffled as Abigail watched the ghoul approach her. Abigail knew she should move, but she remained frozen in place as the feral's face became inches from her own. The ghoul's mouth hung agape, emitting a foul odor with every breath it took. It's lips appeared to have been wore off from it's previous meals, exposing worn, yellow teeth.

     Abigail held her breath as she waited for the ghoul to attack, but it never did as it continued to stare at her. Her heart still racing, Abigail lifted her hand to touch the ghoul's sunken cheeks. The feral slowly changed it's focus to her hand, making an almost curious gurgle as it mirrored her movements, raising a mangled finger to her cheek.

     "What the hell?" Abigail could hear Hancock exclaim before he appeared at her side. Kneeling beside her as he eyed the feral, asking in a concerned voice, "You alright, sunshine?"

     Abigail's voice sounded foreign to her ears as she whispered back in a dazed voice, "Yes..." She paused as her fingers trailed along the feral's cheekbones before asking, "Am I hallucinating? You're seeing this too, right?"

     "Yeah, I see it..."

     Abigail straightened herself into a sitting position, cocking her head at the feral as she said, "Hello...?"

     The ghoul tilted its head in response, emitting a soft gurgle. Abigail smiled as she turned to look at Hancock, "Do you think he's not fully feral?"

     Before Hancock could respond, Abigail could hear Piper shriek from somewhere behind her. The ghoul jerked its head up and was back on it's feet with unexpected speed.

     "Wait!" Abigail yelled as she tried to block the feral's path as it sprinted towards Piper. A thunderous blasted echoed through the graveyard as a red beam shot through the feral's torso. The ghoul spun in place as it began to fall. The soft yellow glow in it's eyes dimming as feral's stare became locked with Abigail's before collapsing in a heap on the ground.

     Abigail stood dumbfounded as her mind struggled to sort through what happened. That feral ghoul hadn't attacked her, but tried to attack Piper. _Why?_ She could hear Preston and Piper's approaching footsteps as she continued to stare at the dead ghoul.

     Preston's voice pulled Abigail out of her trance as he yelled, "What the hell, Hancock? You were going to let that ghoul kill her?"

     "That feral saved my life..." Abigail said in a soft whisper as she glanced up at Preston.

     "What?" Preston asked in confusion.

     "It's true." Hancock said as he pointed to the pile of flesh and blood that had been a feral ghoul a few moments before.

     The group stood in silence before Abigail asked, "Are you alright, Piper?"

     "Well yeah Blue, I am." Piper pulled her gaze from the dead ghoul to Abigail as she asked, "Why didn't it attack you?"

     "No idea..."

     "I've seen a feral act like that before."

     The group turned to look at Hancock as he continued, "When I'm traveling alone and I come across a horde. They act docile, just like that one."

     "Why's that?" Piper mused as she stared up at Hancock.

     Hancock shrugged as he muttered, "Ferals don't mess with other ghouls."

     "Abigail's not a ghoul." Preston stated flatly.

     Hancock was silent for a moment, his raspy voice sending Abigail back into her trace as he replied, "That might not be 100% true."

     "What the hell are you talking about? Look at her."

     Preston and Hancock's voices became drown out by Abigail's own thoughts as her mind traveled back to the night that she had spent with Hancock in the cover of an underground bunker in the Glowing Sea. _I really thought I was going to lose you..._ Hancock's words echoed through her mind. _You were turning into a ghoul..._ Abigail could feel panic building inside her as she instinctively reached for the scar on her stomach where the deathclaw had struck her. What the hell did this mean? Would she eventually turn into a ghoul? Why hadn't the serum worked? It's not like she could go ask Lorenzo what had gone wrong, the bastard was dead after all.

     "But the serum stopped it..." Abigail's voice trailed off.

     "Maybe... But whatever makes a ghoul recognize another ghoul must have stayed behind, Blue." Piper said as she brought her hand to rest on Abigail's shoulder.

     "But what the hell does that mean?"

     The group turned its focus onto Hancock once more. A look of confusion crossed Hancock's face for a moment before it melted into his usual cocky grin.

     "What? Just because I'm a ghoul doesn't make me an expert on the topic." He said with a shrug before turning his attention on Abigail, cupping her chin with his hand as he lift her gaze to met his, "Whatever happens, we'll get through it together. Don't worry so much, sunshine."

     "I love you."

     "I know..." Hancock said with a smirk as he brought his lips to met her's. Tenderly kissing her before Preston let out a disgruntled cough, "If you two are done... We should get moving."

     "Sure thing, boy scout." Hancock chuckled. Wrapping his arm around Abigail as he lead her out of the graveyard. The group followed the Freedom Trail in silence, winding their way through the ruins of downtown Boston.

     The group came to a halt outside of an old brick church, its steeple jetting up into the midday sky. The red brick path stopped at the foot of a prewar statue of a man atop of a horse at the church’s base.

     "This must be the place..." Abigail muttered as she turned in place.

     "Then where is: freedom's lantern?" Piper mused as she looked around.

     Pointing to the top of the church's steeple, Abigail replied, "During the Revolutionary War, a man hung two lanterns at the top of this church tower signaling that British troops were traveling along the river to Concord and Lexington... Maybe the next clue is up there?"

     "I doubt many people know that..." Preston stated as he looked up at the church's tower.

     "You got a better idea, boy scout?" Hancock muttered. Tightening his grip around Abigail as he glanced over her tricorn hat to stare at Preston.

     When Preston didn't reply, Hancock added with a cocky grin, "Then I guess we are going inside..."

     Hancock held the door to the prewar building open for Abigail to enter, Preston and Piper close behind her. Hancock and Preston exchanged a glare as the door shut behind them, encasing them in darkness. The green glow of Abigail's Pipboy light illuminated the room a moment later as the group made their way inside. The pews that had at one time must have sat hundreds of members had been tossed aside and discarded, the organ in the back had fallen over, along with most of the second story. Two centuries worth of dust and debris littered the floor.

     Abigail could feel what little hope she had left in her disappear as she looked around in despair. What had she really expected to find? A secret headquarters tucked away in the ruins of a historic landmark? As Abigail opened her mouth to speak, her voice faltered when she saw a grin spread across Piper's face.

     "What?"

     Piper's grin grew wider as she pointed over Abigail's shoulder. When Abigail turned to look, her gaze fell onto a white lantern painted on the wall above a doorway to their right. Abigail felt her heart skip a beat as the group made their way to the catacombs beneath. Winding their way through the tunnels, the group came to a halt when they reached a dead end. A bronze seal similar to the one they had seen at the beginning of the Freedom Trail huge on a wall beside them.

     Abigail and Piper cocked their heads as they inspected it, Preston stating behind them, "A dead end..."

     "We can't just turn back now..." Abigail muttered with frustration as she glanced around the tunnel.

     "Blue, look! This thing spins!" Piper exclaimed as she turned the bronze wheel like a dial along the seal. "You think we are supposed to put in a password?!"

     Abigail stared at the plague in shock as she watched Piper fiddle with the dial. Piper giggled as she stood back, "You should do the honors, Blue!"

     "We don't know what the password is, sister."

     "There's got to be a clue around here somewhere." Piper said with a grin, jumping up and down before telling Abigail, "You should try: Open Says Me!"

     "It can't be this simple..." Abigail whispered to herself as she turned the dial. The wall made various clicking sounds before it made a loud clank.

     "See! I told you it was: Open Says Me!" Piper said with excitement. She bounced up and down as the brick wall slide out of their way, revealing hidden passage.

     "That's not what you seriously put in, is it General?" Preston said with a look of skepticism.

     "No, it's not."

     Piper's smile faltered as she asked, "What did you put in?"

     "Railroad."

     "I should have guess that..." Piper muttered as she brought her hand to her face.

     The group made their way into the darkness. Another loud clank broke the silence around them before they became blinded by a flash of light.


	40. Enemy of My Enemy

 

     Hancock held his hand up to block the light that had already seared the back of his eyes, temporarily blinding him. His hand instinctively reached for Abigail beside him as he struggled to get his bearings back.

     A female's voice came from behind the spotlights in front of them, "Stop right there. You went through a lot of effort to arrange this meeting. But before we go any further, answer my questions..."

     The lights dimmed as the women spoke, Hancock could slowly make out three figures emerging from the light. Two women and a man. The man wore a brown cap and a patched suit, he stared down at them from the sights of his pipe pistol. The women in the center wore a pair of slacks tucked into combat boots. A cigarette rest between her fingers, it's red ember a similar color to the women's hair. Hancock felt his eyes narrow as his focus moved to the women beside her, her dark skin a stark contrast to the silver hair that framed her face. She wore a heavily armored coat over a pair of leather jeans, but that's not what had Hancock on edge. His gaze rested on the minigun in her hands. If a firefight proved to be inevitable, she was the one he'd have to take out first.

     The redhead in the center of the group flicked her cigarette as she curtly asked, "Who the hell are you?"

     Hancock could hear Abigail reply as she stepped forward, "We followed the Freedom Trail looking for the Railroad. We're not your enemy."

     The women narrowed her amber eyes as she said, "If that's true, you have nothing to fear. Who told you how to contact us?"

     Abigail's voice was calm and steady as she answered, "Doctor Amari told me how to find you."

     "Very interesting..." The women mused, before asking, "Last question: why are you here?"

     "I tracked down and killed a Courser at Greenetech Genetics. Now I need help breaking the code on his Courser Chip."

     The woman's eyes widened in disbelief as she stuttered, "You have what? This is not a joking matter."

     "I didn't know we're having a party. What gives with my invitation?" Hancock hesitated before changing his focus from the women with the minigun to the new figure that had emerged from the shadows. As his eyes struggled to focus, Hancock could see the new comer was a man wearing sunglasses, along with a pair of torn jeans and a white T-shirt. His black hair was styled like a 1950s greaser. His voice was cocky as he glanced towards Abigail, adding, "Oh... I see you invited the Courser-killer. Nice."

     "Deacon, you're late. You're saying this intruder actually killed a Courser? Single-handedly?" The redhead paused before glancing at the women with the minigun before looking back at Deacon, adding, "That'd give even Glory a run for her money."

     Hancock could feel a smug smile cross his lips as the women with the mingun, Glory, rolled her eyes.

     Deacon pointed to Abigail as he continued, "New flash, boss, this girl is kind of a big deal. If you're done interrogating her, you might want to show this Courser-murdering machine a little courtesy. Just a thought."

     "I owe you an apology." The redhead said as she turned to face them, "Anyone who kills a Courser is good in my book. I'm Desdemona and I'm the leader of the Railroad."

     Piper let out a small shriek as Abigail asked, "Can you translate the chip?"

     Desdemona paused before answering, "What you're asking for puts us in a tricky position..."

     Deacon interrupted her as he cut in, "Dez, we need to let her in. She's got an intact Courser Chip, for God's sake."

     "That violates our security protocols." Desdemona stated flatly.

     Deacon's voice grew louder as he replied, "To hell with that. She killed a Courser. There's no way she's working for the Institute."

     Silence fell onto the tunnel as Desdemona stood in thought, staring intently at Abigail for a moment before she said, "We're letting you into our headquarters. You're the first outsider ever to be given this privilege. We'll discuss the details about your chip inside."

     Desdemona held her hand up as the group began to approach her, "Only you may enter, unarmed. Your companions can wait here."

     "Screw that." Hancock muttered as he stepped in front of Abigail.

     Desdemona's eyes narrowed as she stated, "I have to maintain some sort of security protocol. I can't just let four strangers armed to the teeth into our headquarters."

     "If you think for one sec-" Hancock started before Abigail held up her hand. When Hancock fell silent, Abigail interlaced her fingers with his. They exchanged glances before Abigail looked back to Desdemona, "We understand that. So how about a compromise? Two of us will enter unarmed if you leave two of your agents with my companions to ensure our safety."

     When Desdemona didn't reply, a smile grew across Abigail's face as she asked, "Do we have a deal?"

     Another moment of tension passed before Desdemona reluctantly replied, "Yes."

     "Awesome." Abigail paused as she exchanged a grin with Piper, "Piper and I will be following you..."

     Hancock could feel his heart skip a beat. Leaning forward, he whispered, "You sure you don't want me to come instead? I'm better in a knife fight if you catch my drift."

     "I heard that!" Piper chimed in as she handed Preston her pistol.

     Abigail smiled up at him as she handed him her laser musket and backpack, her voice was playful as she replied, "Piper would never let me live it down if I went into the Railroad Headquarters without her."

     "No I wouldn't!" Piper exclaimed as she gently tugged on Abigail's arm, "Come on, Blue! Let's go!"

     Hancock sighed as he glanced up at the Railway agents lining the tunnel, "Come back in one piece, sunshine." Cupping her chin with his hand, he added, "I love you."

     "I know." Abigail said with a smirk, kissing him softly before allowing Piper to drag her towards the Railway entrance.

     "In that case..." Hancock said as he pointed at Glory and Deacon, "Shades and Machine Gun Annie are staying with us until they come back."

     "The name's Glory..." The silver haired women stated with annoyance as her eyes sparkled dangerously. "And this is a mingun..." Glory added as she tossed her minigun aside before walking towards Preston and Hancock, Deacon close behind her.

     Hancock wasn't listening as he watched Abigail and Piper follow Desdemona further into the tunnel until they disappeared into the darkness.

     The four of them stood in an awkward silence, until Hancock heard Preston ask, "Doesn't feel good getting left behind, does it?"

     Rolling his eyes, Hancock muttered, "You still pissed Abigail picked me to travel with her to the Glowing Sea? Fuck off."

     "Atleast if I'd gone, she wouldn't be in this mess."

     "And what mess is that, boy scout?"

     "The ghoulification!" Preston's voice grew as he rounded on Hancock, "Who knows what other side effects she might have?"

     Hancock's voice turned into a low growl as he replied, "You think you could've done better?"

     "Abigail and I have fought plenty of deathclaws before!"

     Hancock couldn't help but smile at how worked up Preston was getting. He laughed before replying, "Please, boy scout... You would have shit yourself."

     "I don't know what your guys' problem is, but I'm not interested in witnessing a dick measuring contest..." Glory muttered, crossing her arms as she leaned against the brick wall at the edge of the group.

     Preston continued to glare at Hancock in silence until Deacon asked, "So... You guys are in love with the same girl?"

     Hancock rested his shotgun on his shoulders, his usual cocky grin still planted on his face. In an amused voice, he replied, "Nah... The boy scout's just pissy because he's still a virgin."

     "You have no class, Hancock." Preston growled, shifting his weight before adding, "I'm not worried though... Just have to wait until you screw up again. I'm sure it won't be long now."

     "Even if I was out of the picture. And unless you plan on doing something about that yourself, that's a big _if_..." Hancock grinned menacingly as he continued, "You don't have the finesse to win a girl like her."

     Deacon paused from watching the two bicker to glance over at Glory as he mused, "Must be some girl... Eh Glory?"

     "Leave me out of it, Deacon..." Glory muttered as she rolled her eyes.

     Preston fumed in silence for a moment, his voice calmer as he replied, "She's already told me that I remind her of Nate. That already proves I'm more her type then you."

     "See that boy scout? That's proof that you don't understand women..." Hancock chuckled as he pulled a case of Mentats from his flock. Popping one into his mouth before continuing, "You think she wants to replace her dead husband? Hell no. And if that's really the angle you think will win her over. Then I hate to break it to you... Aww shit, who am I kidding? I take great pleasure in breakin' it to you, but you were doomed from the start, boy scout."

     "Do you fucks mind shutting up?" Glory sighed from her perch, "If I had know I was signing up for psychological torture, I would have shot myself before I would've agreed to be your captive..."

     "Ease up, Glory." Deacon chuckled, "Can't you see they're having a moment?"

     "I love her, Preston." Hancock paused as all the amusement left his voice, "And if you're in love with her too, then you understand why I'll never walk away."

     A silence surrounded them for a moment, before Deacon chimed in, "You know what... Abigail sounds like quite the catch. I might throw my name into that hat too."

     Preston and Hancock both turned to stare at Deacon in disbelief. The four of them lingered in silence until Desdemona voice marked her and Abigail's returned. The three girls rounded the corner a moment later, clearly deep in discussion.

     "Thank the Creator!" Glory exclaimed as she pushed herself off the wall and began walking towards them.

     Desdemona's voice echoed off the walls as they approached, "Our people are going to start working on the rest of the chip..." Pausing as they exited the tunnel, Desdemona turned to Abigail, "And you. I'd love to work with you more. Let me know if you're interested."

     Abigail shifted her weight uncomfortably before she replied, "Uhhh... yeah no thanks. Already have enough responsibilities."

     "Blue!" Piper whined from behind Abigail.

     Abigail chuckled as she whispered, "There's nothing stopping you though, Piper..."

     Piper let out a huff as she crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, "She didn't invite me..."

     Desdemona's voice became stern as she stated, "But to be crystal clear, if you use that data and discover anything involving the Institute-you share it with us first. Otherwise our relationship will be in jeopardy."

     Abigail raised an eyebrow at Desdemona as she replied, "Seriously? What do you think I'm going to use the chip data for? A pretty decoration in my house?"

     Desdemona's answer was laced with malice as she replied, "We aren't the kind you want to have problems with."

     Abigail paused as she stared Desdemona down. Hancock instinctively tightened his grip on his shotgun as Abigail replied, "Is that supposed to be a threat? I've killed Kellogg, deathclaws, Coursers... I openly declared war on the Institute and I did it without hiding in an old crypt. You think I'm afraid of you? Just be sure to stay out of my way and we won't have problems."

     The silence that followed her words created an almost tangible tension in the catacombs. Desdemona's voice was cold as she muttered, "I think it's time you left."

     "I agree..." Abigail retorted, walking out of the tunnels without another word. Her companions following her into the darkness.


	41. To the Institute

 

     Hancock never thought he would ever find himself digging around in the dirt, yet here he was. Pausing from his work, Hancock glanced down at his hands caked in soil. Since Preston, Abigail and himself had returned to Sanctuary Hills, Abigail had shown him all the _finer_ settlement jobs. From milking the two headed cow to gardening with Marcy, Hancock wasn't a fan, but whenever Abigail's eyes lit up as she explained the next item on her to do list, he could never find it in his heart to tell her he didn't want to join her. Honestly, he would agree to having dinner with the Longs if it made Abigail happy.

     Glancing up, Hancock could see Abigail weeding at the base another tato plant a few paces away from him with a soft smile on her lips. Watching her at Sanctuary, Hancock imagined that this was what Abigail had been like before the bombs fell. She laughed more and her attitude was more carefree. Hancock knew most of it was an act. Abigail didn't let her worries or her pain loom over her when she was around her settlers. Abigail felt it was her responsibility to take care of them. She wanted them to be happy, but Hancock was more worried about her.

     Sturges almost had the teleporter up and running. Once that happened, what would happen to Abigail? Would the thing even work? And if it did, could she really just waltz into the Institute, save her son, and escape? The odds were not on her side and the thought of that made his blood run cold. What would he do if he lost her? Hancock couldn't go back to living without her, not after he had experience the kind of purpose she brought to his life. Abigail was everything he had spent his life running towards and everything he knew he didn't deserve, but she still loved him and he wasn't ready to let her go. Never would be.

     "Heads up!" Abigail called out to him. Hancock was pulled out of his trance as he noticed a red orb flying through the air towards his face. He caught it with ease. Hancock could feel his brow wrinkle in confusion as the tato squished in his grip, spraying rotten juice all over him.

     "What the...?" Was all he could say as Abigail broke out into a fit of giggles. A playful growl escaped his lips as he whispered, "You little..."

     Hancock cut himself short as he pounced at Abigail, but she was too quick for him as she quickly rolled to the side. Jumping to her feet, she sprinted behind one of the ruined houses, Hancock close on her heels. He squeezed the tato in his hand, flicking his wrist in front of him as he chased her. A stream of tato juice sprayed along her back, Abigail let out a small shriek as she exclaimed, "Ew!"

     But where Hancock lacked Abigail's initial speed, he made up for in stamina as he slowly but surely gained on her. Discarding the tato as he wrapped his arms around his prize, she squirmed in his grasp in a failed attempt to free herself. Succumbing to another fit of giggles until Hancock pinned her against the wall of one of the ruined houses.

     Hancock playfully nipped at her neck as he growled into her ear, "That wasn't very nice, sunshine... The things I'm going to do to you."

     He could feel Abigail shiver under his grasp as she kissed along his chin, pausing over his lips as she stared up at him. Her voice was coy as she asked sweetly, "What are you going to do to me, Mayor Hancock?"

     "It'd be a lot more fun if I showed you, sister."

     Abigail gasped in surprise as he spun her against the wall. One of his hands held tight around Abigail's waist, keeping her in place as his other traced along her stomach. Slipping under her pants as he searched for the prize he had already claimed as his, and would keep claiming as his for as long and as often as Abigail would let him.  Pressing his already hard cock against her back, his fingers found their way to her slit. Circling and teasing her as he brought his lips to kiss along her neck.

     Hancock's mind became so clouded with thoughts of Abigail that he didn't even notice Abigail's leg wrapping around his own. It was too late when she pushed off the wall. Unable to steady his footing, Hancock fell backwards onto the ground.

     Abigail was on top of him in an instant. She smiled down at him, her voice was laced with desire as she whispered, "The things I'm going to do to you, John Hancock..."

     Her long brown locks tickled his face as she leaned over him, pinning his arms beside his head. Abigail's smile was irresistible as her hair caught the sun's rays, creating an almost halo effect around her face. Hancock knew he had to have her. Breaking from her hold, his hands grabbed her hips as he rolled himself on top of her.

     Abigail giggled as she struggled under his grasp. Kissing along her neck and down to her collar bone, Hancock could feel Abigail's fight leave her as soft moan escaped her lips, pressing her hips against him. Gripping both her wrists with one hand, Hancock used his other to unbutton her pants.

     Just as he was pulling down the zipper, Hancock heard a disgruntled cough come from behind him, "General, Struges is asking for you."

     "Not now, boy scout." Hancock growled with irritation.

     "Sturges says he's got the teleporter up and running."

     "Really?" Abigail smile widened as Hancock reluctantly released her from his grasp. Abigail quickly got to her feet as she sprinted out of sight around the corner of the ruined building towards the spot Sturges had been building the molecular relay device.

     Hancock sighed with annoyance as he went to follow her. Noting the smug look on Preston's face as he passed.

     "What excuse are you going to use to keep us apart after she rescues her son, boy scout?"

     Preston's smile disappeared as he turned to follow Abigail. The two of them found her to the end of the cul de sac, where Sturges had been building the teleporter on one of the foundations that had previously held one of the unsalvageable buildings before they had been cleared. The teleportation platform had been built at it's center, encased by three metal beams that Sturges had called the _beam emitter_ , various wires and ducts hung from it. A small satellite dish was set beside the teleporter, along with the control console that Sturges was typing on. The thing looked mostly the same as the last time Hancock had laid eyes on it, except for one thing. Now the ring above the platform was glowing blue and giant bolts of electricity were jetting out in random intervals around it. The thing took a lot of juice, Abigail and Sturges had to build a damn wind farm to support it and that was even before they had it running.

     A crack appeared in Abigail's mask, her worried voice betrayed her as she asked, "Will it work?"

     Preston stood beside Abigail and Sturges at the console, his voice made him sound more confident then he felt as he replied, "If anyone can make sense of this crazy Institute teleporter tech, it's Sturges. He hasn't let me down yet."

     Abigail nodded as she watched the electricity bursting from the machine. Turning to walk away as she said, "I'll get my gear then."

     When Abigail was out of earshot, Hancock asked, "You sure this thing works? Shouldn't we at least test it first?"

     "I'm as sure as I can be..." Sturges said reluctantly. Glancing up from the console as he continued, "And I really wish we could, Hancock. But we've only got the one frequency code. There's no way to test it without actually jacking into the Institute's signal. And as soon as we do that, we've used our one and only chance."

     Preston sighed nervously as he added, "And as soon as the Institute figures out what we did. Our code will be useless..."

     "I'm not okay with sending Abigail on a suicide mission." Hancock muttered as another crack of electricity jetted out from the teleporter.

     "And you think we are?" Sturges asked as he changed his focus back onto the console, "We've tried talking her out of this. But you know Abigail... She won't stop until she finds her son. You know that."

     "She's doing this, Hancock." Preston said flatly.

     Hancock's voice lowered into a growl as he spat, "You'd prefer her be dead then with me?"

     Preston and Hancock stared at each other in silence before Preston replied, "You know that's not true."

     Hancock felt himself stiffen as he heard Abigail's soft footsteps approaching them. He turned to see her throwing her pack onto her back, her nimble fingers inspecting her laser musket as she closed the distance between them.

     Glancing up at the group, a weak smile crossed Abigail's face as she said, "Let's do this."

     "Hey... Let's take a second to think this through, sunshine. You can rest up for the night before you go." Hancock's voice trailed off. He knew he was stalling, but he had to try.

     Abigail's voice faltered as she replied, "Shaun's out there, Hancock. I have to do this."

     Hancock pulled Abigail into his embrace, wishing with all his heart she wouldn't go. But he knew she had to. A single tear fell down his cheek as he whispered, "Just come back to me, Abigail. I need you."

     Abigail's grip around him tightened as she silently nodded her head into his chest. She let him hold her for another moment, before pulling herself away and walking onto the platform in the center of the teleporter. The machine began to sputter as Sturges began pressing a series of buttons on the console, raising his voice as he called out to Abigail, "Hold real still! Don't want any corruption of the molecular beam... Locking on the the Institute signal now."

     The machine shook harder as bits of tubing fell off and smoke began to pillow from beneath the platform, Abigail held her hands out to steady herself as Sturges added nervously, "We better hurry. Don't worry about that tubing wiggling around. It's... just there for decoration..."

     And then Hancock saw it. The raw fear cross Abigail's face. What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn't let her go through with this. She was about to get herself killed. Just as he opened his mouth to tell Sturges to shut the damn thing off, Hancock heard Abigail call out to him, "I love you!"

     Hancock only had enough time to lock eyes with Abigail for an instant before she disappeared in a flash of light. Silence fell around them as the three of them stood in disbelief. Hancock ran to the platform, yelling at Sturges, "Send me after her."

     Sturges and Preston stood in silence as they both stared at the ground. When neither of them replied, Hancock screamed, "Did you fucking hear me? I said: send me after her."

     "We can't." Preston muttered quietly.

     "Why the hell not?"

     Sturges turned his focus back to the console as he said, "We only had one shot, Hancock. Another launch would mean certain death and Abigail gave clear orders that no one was to follow her."

     "I'm not a fucking Minuteman! I don't take orders from anyone!" Hancock pulled his shotgun from his back and fired it into the ground before aiming it at Preston, "Fucking send me after her before I fucking shoot you."

     Preston's stare was unyielding as he calmly stated, "No."

     "You claim you fucking love her. Prove it, you worthless fuck!"

     "I am." Preston spat, "I'm following her orders."

     "Fuck!" Hancock yelled as dropped to his knees. He should have stopped her. There had to have been another way. Hancock felt his hands clench into fist as he punched the ground. Pain shot up his arm, but he didn't care. Abigail was gone. He’d let her slip through his fingers all over again. Hancock gave in to his grief as he whispered, "What have I done?"


	42. Shaun

     All Abigail remembered was the look on Hancock's face as a blinding light consumed her, then nothing. A moment that seemed to last for an eternity passed before the light disappeared, revealing a strange sort of room. As Abigail's eyes struggled to focus, she could make out strange lights and devices surrounding her. _This must be the Institute..._ Abigail's heart didn't stop pounding as she whispered, "I made it..."

     Abigail made her way through a doorway in front of her. White walls, floors, and ceilings greeted her, reminding her more of a hospital then the headquarters of the most feared faction in all the Commonwealth. She eyed the various machines and monitors as she made her way deeper into the Institute.

     As she made her way down a stairwell, a voice startled her as it said over a loudspeaker, "Hello."

     Glancing around in confusion, Abigail heard the voice continue, "I wondered if you might make it here. You're quite resourceful."

 _Shit..._ Abigail had been discovered. She instinctively cranked her laser musket and watched for the figure to appear.

     "I am known as Father; the Institute is under my guidance... I know why you're here. I'd like to discuss things with you, face-to-face. Please step into the elevator."

     On que, the glass elevator in the center of the room opened. Abigail hesitated as she approached it. Everything inside of her told her this was a trap, that she should leave now while she had the chance. But there was no escape. The teleporter was a one way ticket. Abigail knew that. The only way to go was forward as she took a step onto the elevator, its door sealing behind her.

     As the elevator began to lower itself, the voice said, "I can only imagine what you've heard, what you think of us. I'd like to show you that you may have... the wrong impression."

     No new level appeared as the elevator continued to fall, enshrouding Abigail in darkness as the voice continued, "Welcome to the Institute."

     Abigail gasped as the elevator entered an underground world. Light shown through her glass prison, illuminating the ground below. Revealing a room far bigger than Abigail had even fathomed possible, sterile walkways weaved through countless stories of windows. Below her dozens of people in lab coats walked and talked under trees. To Abigail's disbelief, a stream could be seen flowing under the clear steps of a large flight of stairs.

     "What is this place?" Abigail whispered, awestruck.

     "This is the reality of the Institute." The voice answered, "This place, these people, the work we do. For over a hundred years, we've dedicated ourselves to humanity's survival. Decades of research, countless experiments and trials... A shared vision of how science can help shape the future. It has never been easy, and our actions are often misinterpreted by those above ground."

     The voice trailed off as the elevator lowered itself into the ground, cutting off Abigail's view of the chamber above. Lowering her into darkness once more. The elevator came to a gentle stop in a small room, similar to the one she had first arrived in. A single corridor laid in front of her. Abigail made her way along it as the voice said, "There's too much at stake here to risk it all. As you've seen, things above are... unstable. I'd like to talk to you about what we can do... for everyone."

     Abigail's footsteps echoed along the corridor as the voice continued, "But that can wait. You are here for a specific, very personal reason. You are here for you son."

     Abigail hesitated as she entered another elevator. Pushing the red button next to her as the door slide closed behind her. After a moment it stopped at a higher level. Abigail exitted to see another room with various machines and dials lining the walls. As her eyes scanned the room, Abigail's gaze became transfixed on a boy sitting inside a glass room.

     "Shaun...?" Abigail voice faltered as she approached the boy.

     The boy turned his face to look at her with curiosity, he hesitated before saying, "Huh? Yes... I'm Shaun."

     As the boy stood, Abigail could see the reflection of the boy she had grown up with and the man she had grown to love. She had done it, she had found her son. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "It's me, Shaun. It's mommy."

     The boy's brown eyes were wide with confusion as he called out, "Father... What's going on? What's happening?"

     Abigail felt herself begin to panic. She couldn't fail now, not with her son just outside of her reach. Her heart raced as she beat on the glass helplessly before pleading to the boy, "Shaun, please! Open the door..."

     Abigail felt her heart sink as the boy yelled, "I don't know you! Go away! Father! Father, help me! There's someone here! Help me!"

     "Who is Father?" Abigail managed to asked before the door beside them slide open. An old man in a lab coat entered a moment later. Abigail recognized his voice from the loudspeaker as he said, "Shaun.... S9-23 Recall Code Cirrus."

     The boy went limp and fell to the floor of his glass room in an instant, the old man watched him for a moment before turning his focus to Abigail, "Fascinating... but disappointing. The child's responses were not at all what I anticipated. He's a prototype, you understand. We're only just now beginning to explore the effects of extreme emotional stimuli."

     More tears streamed down Abigail’s face as she realized that boy wasn't Shaun. It was a synth. Rage consumed her as she raised her rifle at the old man, screaming, "Where is Shaun?!"

     The man raised his arms submissively as he calmly replied, "Please try and keep an open mind. I recognize that you are emotional, and that your journey here has been fraught with challenges... Let's start anew. I am Father. Welcome to the Institute."

     Abigail's voice cracked as she continued to scream, "I could fucking kill you right now!"

     "Yes. You could. And I would be powerless to stop you..."

     "I want answers! Now, you bastard! Where is my son?"

     "Under the circumstances, I will forgive your... Vulgarity."

     The anger Abigail had growing in her heart felt as if it might consume her. Was he fucking kidding? These bastards kidnapped her son and killed her husband. Now they're going to talk down to her for being pissed? Fuck him. Fuck the Institute. Abigail knew she should kill him now and she could easily do it with only a small amount of pressure on her musket’s trigger... But what control Abigail had left told her she had to wait until she knew where the real Shaun was before she could start dropping bodies.

     "You have travel very far, and suffered a great deal, to find your son. Well, your tenacity and dedication have been rewarded."

     "Then where is he?!"

     A soft smile crossed the old man's lips as he replied, "It's good to finally meet you, after all this time. It's me. I am Shaun. I am... your son."

     Abigail felt herself falter. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she weakly replied, "What? That's impossible."

     Father's voice was matter of fact as he explained, "In the Vault, you had no concept of the passage of time. You were released from your pod, and went searching for the son you'd lost. But then you learned that your son was no longer an infant, but a ten year old boy. You believed that ten years had passed." He paused to watch for Abigail's reaction, when she didn't reply he continued, "Is it really so hard to accept that it was not ten, but sixty years? That is the reality. And here I am. Raised by the Institute, and now its leader."

     The shock hit her like a bucket of water over a flame, temporarily extinguishing her rage. Abigail stared up at the old man with her husband's face. She was still in a daze as she said, "But they stole you... Kidnapped you..." Her voice gained a small amount of strength as she finished, "It wasn't right!"

     Shaun's voice was calm, as if he was speaking to an incompetent child as he replied, "Right, wrong... irrelevant. It was necessary. The Institute believed humanity's future depended on it. At that time, the year 2227, the Institute had made great strides in synth production. But it was never enough. Scientific curiosity, and the goal of perfection, drove them ever onward. What they wanted was... the perfect machine. So they followed the best example thus far: the human being. Walking, talking, fully articulate... Capable of anything."

     Abigail felt the ground hit her knees as the realization dawned on her. The world around her became muffled as she whispered, "Human synths..."

     The only remnants of reality came from Shaun's voice as Abigail became lost in her own mind, "Human-like synths. A great distinction. The Institute endeavored to create synthetic organics. The most logical starting point, of course, was human DNA." Father's voice had a hint of amusement as he continued, "Plenty of that was available, of course, but it had all become corrupted. In this... wasteland... radiation affected everyone. Even in their attempts to shield themselves from the world above, members of the Institute had been exposed. Another source was necessary..."

     Abigail knew what Shaun was going to say, but couldn't bring herself to speak as he said, "But then the Institute found me, after discovering records from Vault 111. An infant, frozen in time, protected from the radiation-induced mutations that had crept into every other human cell in the Commonwealth." He paused, watching Abigail stare at the floor for a moment before continuing, "I was exactly what they needed. And so it was my DNA that became the basis of the synthetic organics used to create every human-like synth you see today."

     Shaun's voice was filled with pride, "I am their Father. Through Science, we are family. The synths, me... and you."

     Abigail felt her eyes close as she asked the question even though the answer was clear, "And... You've been down here the whole time?"

     But the answer still stung her heart as he replied, "Yes."

     Silence surrounded them before Shaun stated with a small amount of courtesy, "Please, if there is anything I can do to help you understand... All you have to do is ask."

     But Abigail had a million questions and no time to process what was happening. Everything she had fought so hard for, turned out to be some sort of sick joke... Or sick test.

     "Kellogg..." Abigail said in a disbelief, "He worked for you?"

     "Kellogg..." Disgust was in his answer as Father replied, "He was an Institute asset long before I arrived here. It wasn't until I became Director that I learned of all the things he's done... What kind of man he was."

     Abigail's head snapped up to look at her son. No, he wasn't her son. He was just Shaun. A flicker of her rage returned as she snapped, "You knew the man was a psychopath, but you used him anyways?"

     There was anger in Shaun's reply as he asked, "Would you have preferred that I turned him loose on the Commonwealth? At least keeping him on a short leash kept the collateral damage to a minimum. The Institute took advantage of Kellogg's vicious nature. I will freely admit that." Father paused to break eye contact with Abigail, "He never failed the Institute, but his cruelty became more apparent with every completed objective. I won't lie: it's no coincidence your path crossed his. It seemed a fitting way to allow you... us... to have some amount of revenge."

     A flicker became an explosion of rage as Abigail jumped to her feet, her words laced with fury as she spat, "So you sent a prewar housewife to kill him?"

     Shaun didn't seem intimidated by her outburst. Simply looking her up and down as he said, "Judging by the armor you wear, you proved victorious..."

     "Is this just some sort of fucking game to you? I've spent the last year worried sick about you! Finding you was all I could think about! And here you stand, leader of the Institute. With all your resources, would it have really been that difficult to send me word that you were alright?" Indicating to the boy synth in the glass room, Abigail yelled, "And what the hell was this? You're conducting social experiments on your own mother! You say I have experienced one lose after another, yet you just add to my turmoil."

     "I admit the moment you shared with the synth may have been distasteful but-"

     "Distasteful? It was downright inhumane what you did to me! Your own flesh and blood!" Abigail's voice turned hysterical as she faltered, "And your father..."

     Shaun watched her as if studying something on a slide under a microscope. His voice carried some form of sympathy as he replied, "Yes, what happened to him was..." Father paused as he stared her down, "I've gone over the records of the incident, of course. It seems what happened to him was an unfortunate bit of collateral damage."

     Abigail could feel her nostrils flare as she spat, "Incident?! Collateral damage?!! This is your fucking father, MY husband, we're talking about. He died protecting you and that's all you can muster up to say about him?"

     "I know his loss is still fresh in your mind, but it was a necessary evil for the work that had to be done."

     "So you are telling me that the love of my life, my husband, your father, died for scientific curiosity?!!"

     Shaun stood speechless for a moment before he managed to stutter, "Mother, please... What matters now is that you and I have a chance to begin anew."

     "Don't you dare call me that when you can't even bother yourself to treat me as your mother!” Abigail voice broke off as she stared down at the synth boy still laying on the floor. Facts she thought to be true turned out to be phantoms she kept chasing instead of facing reality. Saving her son wasn’t going to bring her peace. Especially now, since the son that she had hoped to save didn’t exist anymore.

     Abigail’s voice became unsteadyingly calm as she said more to herself then to Shaun, "For the first time since I have awaken in this hell hole, a part of me is glad your father is dead.” Abigail paused as her gaze found its way back to Shaun, “So he didn't have to witness as I have that our son grew up to be a fucking monster." Shaun froze as she raised her laser musket.

     Staring down at him from her sights as she muttered, "Your father was a better man then you could have ever hoped to be."

     As the last words left her lips, Abigail squeezed the trigger. A thunderous blast echoed off the walls as the musket's red beam shot through Shaun's chest, severing the last tie Abigail had left of her dead husband in this world. A soft gasp escaped his lungs as Shaun fell to the ground. Abigail's movement did not feel her own as she watched herself cross the office and sit at her son's terminal. After a few moments of searching, Abigail found what she had been looking for: the synth reset code. Pulling out a flash drive and injecting it into the hard drive, Abigail downloaded all she could off the Institute's main frame.

     Taking her flash drive and storing it away in her pocket, Abigail walked through another doorway and found herself in a sort of observation room overlooking the vast common area of the Institute below. The loudspeaker Shaun had used to taunt her earlier sat near a window. Abigail crossed the room towards it and pressed down on the button. Staring down at the Institute scientists below as she spoke over the loudspeaker, "Attention: Synths of the Institute."

     The people below immediately stopped whatever they were doing to stare up at the observation room as Abigail continued, "I have in my possession your reset code. If you follow my orders today and help me destroy the Institute, I will grate you your freedom and my protection on the surface. If you refuse, I will upload the code and you will die along side your masters. Help me show these bastards that the Institute's reign over the Commonwealth ends today! Their day of reckoning is here. Now, attack!"

     Abigail lifted her finger from the button and watched the people below stand in silence as the echo of her words faded. Would the synths rise up and fight for their freedom? Abigail didn't know, but she didn't care if she had to take on the entire Institute by herself. She was a broken women with nothing left to lose, and if Abigail did die on this day, she was taking as many of these bastards with her as she could.

     A flash from the common area below caught her attention. Then another and another. _Laser beams_. Abigail smiled as she watched the synths turn on their masters. As she crossed the room to the corridor leading down to the common area, she could see four Institute guards running towards her with their weapons drawn.

     Abigail pulled a grenade from her pack, pulling the pin before tossing it in their direction. The screams that followed the explosion were music to her ears. Abigail smiled as she pulled a syringe from her pocket and stabbed it into her leg. She could feel the adrenaline pulse through her body as the Psycho entered her system, filling her with a bloodlust unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

     A scream escaped her lips as she raised her laser musket, charging towards the fire fight below, "Who the fuck's going to save you now?!"


	43. Hell's Destruction

     "She's been gone for hours, Preston." Hancock said with dismay, "When are you going to get your head outta your ass and send me after her before it's too late?"

     "She'll make it."

     Hancock and Preston stared at the teleporter in silence. It had been hours since Abigail had disappeared into the Institute and her followers had no way of knowing the chaos that had irrupted deep beneath the Commonwealth's otherwise seemingly calm surface.

     "How can you be sure?" Hancock's question lingered around them as Preston's focus remained glued to the teleporter.

     "I'm not." Preston replied truthfully, "But all I can do is honor her wishes. She would never forgive me if I let you get yourself killed."

     "I could live with her hating me if it meant she was safe."

     "Well I can't." Preston snapped. Both men glared at eachother before the teleporter in front of them sprang to life. The beam emitter above them glowed blue while electricity jetted out around them.

     "Minutemen!" Preston called out, raising his musket at the teleporter's base, "At attention!"

     The Minutemen from the surrounding guard posts ran to gather around the teleporter, their weapons at the ready.

     "You trying to get Abigail killed?" Hancock snapped as he stood in front of Preston, shoving Preston's musket aside.

     "I'm protecting this settlement from a potential Institute attack." Preston retorted, glaring at Hancock for a moment before adding, "Like Abigail expects me to."

     Hancock knew Preston was right, nodding his head as he stepped aside. The motion left a bad taste in his mouth as his gaze found its way back to the teleporter.

     Preston's voice bellowed around them, "Minutemen! Do not fire until my signal! The General may be using the teleporter! I repeat: do not fire until my signal!"

     Another explosion of electricity drowned out his voice as figures began appearing on the platform, one after the other. Men and women dressed in Institute clothing. As the strangers made their way off the platform so more could follow, one of the first to arrive held up his hands, pleading, "Please! Don't shoot!"

     Hancock closed the distance between them as he yelled, "Who the hell are you? Where's Abigail?"

     "Please..." The stranger said as Hancock grabbed him by the collar, "We're synths..."

     The Minutemen held steady as murmurs broke out amongst them.

     The synth pointed behind him towards the teleporter, "She's right behind us."

     Hancock could hear his heart pounding in his ears as more and more of them filed through the teleporter, but still no Abigail. Tossing the man aside, Hancock made his way towards the platform. After a pause that seemed to last an eternity, one final figure appeared. A women wearing dusty slacks tucked into combat boots and a piece of homemade metal armor strapped over a black leather jacket. A tricorn hat was barely able to contain the brown locks of hair whipping around her face.  _ Abigail _ . Hancock felt his breath get caught in his throat as he reached a hand out to touch her.

     Abigail took a step towards them, her eyes unfocused as she began to fall. Hancock quickened his pace to catch her before she hit the ground. Enclosing his arms around her, Hancock felt like he could finally breath again. Preston raced over to them as Hancock turned Abigail over in his arms, "General! The Institute... What happened?"

     Abigail's answer was barely more than a whisper as her words wisped around them, "The Institute..." A distant explosion shook the ground beneath them, both men looked up to see a giant mushroom cloud rise from the horizon south of Sanctuary Hills. "...is gone."

     The Minutemen surrounding them broke out into cheers and applause at her words, pointing to the cloud of destruction in the distance.

     "But your son..." Hancock felt his words falter, unable to finish his question that he already knew in his heart the answer.

     Abigail closed her eyes as if not looking at him would make the answer easier to say, "He's dead."

     A groan escaped her lips as Abigail struggled to pull a vial of green liquid from her pocket. Handing it to Hancock as she whispered, "Give this to Virgil. Tell him: a deal's a deal."

     "That can wait, sunshine." Hancock closed his fingers around the vial. Putting it in his pocket before standing with Abigail in his arms, "We need to get you to a doctor first."

     "No..." Abigail struggled to shake her head before Hancock cut in, "You're in no position to argue, sunshine. Just let us take care of you."

     The only reply Hancock got were the tears trailing down her face as she fell unconscious. Hancock followed Preston to Abigail's house. Codsworth broke down into an emotional fit when they arrived, hurrying off to find the settlement's doctor. After making his way to the bedroom in the back of the house, Hancock gingerly set Abigail on her bed. The doctor appeared a few moments later, she was a middle aged women with a worry wrinkled face and black hair tied back into a ponytail.

     "I'll need privacy to examine her." The women stated as she moved to unzip Abigail's leather jacket. Both men paused, each hesitate about leaving her. A look of understanding crossed the woman's face as she added, "Have a seat then, I'll be done in a moment."

     Both men watched the doctor examine Abigail. A few burns appeared on her arms and torso, but Abigail appeared otherwise unharmed. Hancock found himself holding his breath until the doctor broke the silence, "The only external wounds she's suffered are a few burns from the Institute's laser pistols." The doctor paused as she turned to face Preston and Hancock before adding, "She's ingested a lot of chems. Her body is in shock, but she will recover."

     "Chems?" Preston brows furrowed together in confusion.

     Hancock dragged his focus from Abigail's unconscious form to stare at Preston. His raspy voice filled the room as he said, "Are you really that surprised, boy scout? She was taking on the entire Institute by herself. She needed an edge."

     "You think I don't know that?" Preston snapped. Turning to face the doctor, he asked, "Do we have any Addictol?"

     "I'll see if I can find some..." The doctor replied before leaving the room, leaving Hancock and Preston alone.

     Silence surrounded them as they both watched Abigail's sleeping form. Finally she stirred, her eyes fluttering open. Her eyes remained unfocused as she asked, "Why are you still here?"

     Both men blinked in confusion, Hancock kneeling next to the bed as he answered, "We were worried about you, sunshine."

     "Worry doesn't get shit done." Abigail said flatly as she turned her focus to the ceiling. "We made a deal with Virgil. You are the only one who knows where to find him so I'm asking you to deliver the serum. Is that too much?"

     "No, sweetheart. Of course not..."

     "Then why are you still here?" Abigail voice was cold as she jerked her head to face him. Glancing up at Preston, she added, "Those synths helped me destroy the Institute. In exchange, I offered them my protection here on the surface. Find them food and shelter. If they wish to stay, find them jobs. You're dismissed."

     Preston turned on his heel and left without a word. Hancock hesitated to speak. Abigail's gaze was emotionless as her copper brown eyes bore into his. In a low growl she said, "Leave me."

     Hancock could feel confusion and turmoil pool inside him as he stared at Abigail. All remnants of her curtain of charms were gone, only to be replaced by this steel exterior that Hancock worried he would never be able to temper. How could she expect him to leave her now after everything that's happened? But maybe what she needed was space. And as much as Hancock didn't want to, he knew he needed to give Abigail what she needed to heal. 

     Hancock stood and began walking through the door, pausing as he turned to give Abigail one final glance before he departed. A single name was on his lips as he whispered, "Abigail..."

     "I said: Leave!" Abigail screeched. So he did, leaving Abigail alone to come to terms with the reality of what had transpired in the past few hours. The last remaining tie to her husband was gone. Abigail had broken her promise she had made to herself and her husband. And now she had nothing. No goals. No purpose. Abigail released the sob that had been growing inside her since she had shot her son.  _ No _ . Since she had shot that monster with her husband's face and her eyes. Reaching into her pocket, Abigail pulled out a red inhaler and brought it to her lips. Inhaling its fumes as she fell into another fit of sobs.

 


	44. Aftermath

     It had taken a week for Hancock to return to Virgil and deliver the serum. With the Institute gone, Virgil had no need to remain hidden away in the Glowing Sea and had offered to accompany Hancock back to Sanctuary Hills. Another week had slipped by before Hancock found himself crossing the turret lined bridge back into Sanctuary, Virgil close behind him. In the time it had taken them to return, Virgil had returned to his human form. It had been an awkward transition to watch, but Hancock's mind had been too distracted with thoughts of Abigail to pay it much mind. He hadn't heard any news of Abigail and was eager to be back at her side.

     Walking up the street towards Abigail's house, Hancock's vision became tunneled as he searched the empty rooms of her house. Panic began to set in as he glanced around the settlement, still no Abigail. Hancock could hear Virgil say something behind him, but Hancock wasn't listening as his eyes fell onto a Mr. Handy pruning hedges that had died off centuries ago.

     "Oi' Codsworth!"

     The Mr. Handy paused from its task as it turned to face them, "Oh Mr. Mayor-"

     "Where's Abigail?" Hancock interrupted, too eager to find her to waste time with niceties.

     "I'm sorry to say that my mistress isn't feeling herself..."

     "Where... is... she?" Hancock growled, pausing over every word.

     Codsworth indicated to the hill overlooking Sanctuary Hills. His answer was hesitate as he said, "I'm afraid she's held herself up inside the vault."

     "What?" Hancock muttered as he spun around towards Vault 111. He could hear Codsworth call behind him as he made his way down the path behind the ruined houses, "I would caution you from entering alone, sir!"

     But Hancock didn't heed his warning. He could only think of Abigail as he lowered himself into the vault.

     "You're going to disregard that robot's warning?"

     Hancock hadn't even noticed Virgil standing beside him as the elevator came to a halt. He had been too focused on Abigail to notice Virgil still following him.

     "I know her better than anyone." Hancock replied, "I need to see her."

     "From his tone, I'd say that he thinks she's dangerous..."

     "Then stay here." Hancock spat as he made his way down the empty corridors. This time there was no holotape, no voices. Only the occasional drop of water to accompany the sound of his echoing footsteps. Hancock found Abigail in the same chamber as he had before. She sat against the pod across from Nate's. Her tricorn hat and leather jacket had been tossed aside, along with her combat boots. Her feet were bare under her torn slacks.

     As Hancock quickened his pace, he noticed her unfocused eyes staring through her matted hair. A pile of empty Jet inhalers were piled beside her and a half full bottle of whiskey rested between her knees.

     "Abigail..." Hancock whispered as he knelt beside her. She remained motionless as if she hadn't heard him.

     "Hey... Sunshine, it's me. Hancock." His voice was unsteady as he traced his fingers along her face. Turning her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes were glazed over as she stared up at him in silence. Her brows wrinkled together with confusion as she whispered, "Hancock?"

     A hesitant smile crossed Hancock's lips as his voice gain confidence, "That's right, sweetheart. It's me."

     "Why... Why are you here?" Abigail struggled to say. Hancock could smell alcohol on her breath, could see the symptoms caused by the Jet in her system. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face as he answered, "Where else would I be?"

     But Abigail didn't answer him as she turned her focus back to the pod that held the corpse of her husband. Hancock knew she was lost, but he had to snap her out of it. Forcing her gaze to meet his, he whispered, "Hey... Guess who's feeling better?"

     Hancock moved so Abigail could see Virgil behind him. She stared at Virgil for a moment before turning away. Hancock could barely hear her as she closed her eyes, "Do you honestly think I care?"

     Hancock stared at her in silence, not sure what to say. Abigail was in a far worse state than he had feared. He could see that she wasn't eating or sleeping, the evidence was all over her face and body.

     "Do you care that you killed my friends?"

     Virgil's question broke Hancock from his trance. Whipping around to face him, Hancock hissed, "The fuck's wrong with you? Leave."

     "I'm asking your _general_ a question." Virgil said plainly. His torn clothes that had fit him so snugly when he was a Super Mutant hung loosely on his thin frame. His dark eyes glared over Hancock's shoulder at Abigail as he repeated, "Do you care that you killed my friends?"

     Hancock stood abruptly. As he began to close the distance between himself and Virgil, he could hear Abigail laugh behind him. Both men froze as they turned their focus onto her. Something wild was behind her smile as she continued to laugh, "Friends?"

     She paused as she stood. Abigail's balance was unsteady as she replied, "Those monsters... who stole my baby and murdered my husband are your friends?"

     Stunned by Abigail's reply, Virgil managed to answer, "My friends had nothing to do with that."

     Abigail's laugh echoed off the walls as she continued, "No. They didn't personally ruin my life, but they are guilty nonetheless..."

     Abigail held her hand against the pod beside her to steady herself as she spat, "They knew of the hell that the Institute reaped on the Commonwealth... yet they did nothing about it. They just continued to live their comfortable lives inside the Institute. Tell me... Where were your 'friends' when you escaped the Institute? Was it they who helped you? Or was it me?"

     Virgil's eyes narrowed as he retorted, "You can't blame them for being scared! They were just trying to survive!"

     "As was I..." Abigail moved across the aisle to rest her hand against the glass of Nate's pod. The next words that left her lips were spoken more to herself than to them as she whispered, "All actions, even inactions, have consequences. And I gave them there's."

     There was silence for a moment before Virgil asked, "But did you have to kill all of them?"

     Abigail traced her fingers along Nate's reflection in the glass as she whispered, "Did they have to kill my husband? Did they have to take my baby? No... No, they didn't... Because it was all for _scientific curiosity_..."

     A laugh mixed with a sob left Abigail's lips as she turned to face them, "My family was destroyed for _fucking_ scientific curiosity."

     Abigail's gaze fell onto Virgil. She cocked her head as she watched him. Waiting a moment before answering, "To answer your question, Virgil. The answer is: no. Does that answer satisfy you?"

     When Virgil didn't reply, Abigail succumbed to a fit of giggles. Her focus moving back to her husband's corpse as she whispered, "It didn't satisfy me either... _Fucking scientific curiosity_..."

     When Hancock finally found the words to speak, he turned to face Virgil, "Leave. Now."

     As Virgil turned to leave the chamber, Abigail's soft voice trailed after him, "Wait..."

     Both men turned to watch Abigail stare at Nate. Her voice was almost childlike as she said, "Nate was shot in the heart and the cryogenic chamber refroze him moments after he died... Can you...? Is it possible that you could save him?"

     Hancock felt his heart sink. If Virgil was able to save Nate, where did that leave him and Abigail? Hancock felt selfish for feeling it, but he didn't want to lose her again.

     "I want another son... I want to try again... Please..." Abigail's voice trailed off as she stared at Virgil.

     Virgil's voice was filled with pity as he replied, "No. I'm sorry... Even if it _was_ possible. I would need equipment, research... I would have to conduct trial runs before I even thought of attempting it. It would take years if not decades even if I had all the proper equipment..."

     Abigail was silent as she stared into the pod. Her voice cutting through the silence as she muttered, "Leave me."

     "Sunshine..." Hancock managed to say as he took a step towards her.

     "LEAVE!" Abigail screamed as she spun to face him.

     "No." Hancock said, shaking his head as he took another step towards her.

     "I'm not going to say it again..." Abigail said as she pulled a 10mm pistol from a holster on her hip. Raising it at Hancock as she repeated, "Leave."

     "You gonna shoot me, sunshine?" Hancock whispered as he took another step towards her.

     "Not you..." Abigail muttered as she lifted the pistol to her chin, "Me."

     Hancock froze as he watched her helplessly, "Abigail... You wouldn't."

     Tears streamed down her cheeks as she screamed, "I have nothing left!"

     "You have me."

     "NO!" Abigail's voice cracked as she screamed. Her finger trembling against the trigger. Hancock could feel his blood run cold as he watched her. If he ran for her, Hancock wasn't sure he would be able to reach her before she squeezed the shot off. He couldn't lose her, not again.

     Raising his hands, Hancock whispered, "Hey, hey... It's alright. We're leaving. Just put the gun down."

     Abigail watched him warily as he took a step back, then another. Hands still trembling, Abigail lowered her pistol.

     "There you go, sweetheart..." Hancock whispered as he returned to Virgil's side. Abigail wasn't listening as she slide down the side of the pod. Lifting the bottle of whiskey to her lips as she returned to staring at her husband in his frozen tomb. Hancock hesitated before leading Virgil out of Vault 111.

     Once Hancock and Virgil met the fresh air and sunlight outside of the vault. Hancock fell to his knees, stunned at the events that had just transpired. Virgil remained silent as he stood motionlessly beside him.

     "What the hell happened?"

     Preston voice reached them just as he crested the hill as he approached Virgil and Hancock. Hancock turned his head to glare at Preston as he spat, "I was about to ask you the same thing."

     "Is she alright?"

     "As much as she was when we arrived." Hancock narrowed his eyes at Preston as he asked, "What happened to her?"

     Preston adjusted his militia hat on his head before replying, "What do you think happened? She's lost."

     Hancock rested his head in his hands. His knees sinking further into the dirt beneath him. What the hell was wrong with him? He shouldn't have left her like that. Even if it was what Abigail said she wanted, he should have listened to his own instincts.

     Hancock's voice lacked its usual edge as he whispered, "She's suicidal, Preston."

     "I know..."

     Hancock gaze met Preston's as he asked, "She told me that you've gotten her out of this kind of thing before. How did you do it?"

     Preston broke eye contact with Hancock as he stared out over Sanctuary Hills. The sun was skimming the horizon to the West. The settlers below were finished with their daily chores and were gathering around the noodle stand beside the garden area, oblivious to the turmoil above them.

     Preston's answer was simple as he replied, "I gave her hope."

     "How?"

     "I urged her to find her son. To lead the Minutemen. To have purpose." Preston paused as he stared down at Hancock, "She still has the Minutemen and the Commonwealth. Let me talk to her..."

     Hancock remained silent as he stood and turned to face Preston. Clasping his shoulder as he whispered, "Please, Preston. Save her from herself."

     Preston and Hancock stared at eachother for a moment. Before Preston gave Hancock a curt nod before moving to the center of the elevator. He disappeared into the depths below a moment later. Leaving Hancock and Virgil alone once more.

     After a moment of silence, Hancock asked, "What the hell did you study while you were inside the Institute?"

     Virgil looked at Hancock with confusion before answering, "Bioscience... why?"

     Hancock didn't look at him as he continued to stare at the vault's entrance, "Did you study the effects of radiation?"

     "Yes."

     Hancock sighed as he changed his focus back to Virgil, "Abigail wants to have children. I want to give them to her, but as I'm sure you know ghouls are sterile."

     Hancock felt his heart sink as Virgil replied, "I can't reverse the damage the radiation has done to you..."

     "I knew it was a long shot."

     "But..." Hancock held his breath as Virgil continued, "While you remain a complicated multi celled organism, sperm are much more simple. I may be able to reverse the radiation damage on a single cell. I will need samples and it will take time, but it's possible."

     Hancock's heart raced as he imagined the life before him. A future with Abigail. Hancock felt a hesitant smile cross his lips as the emotion he and Abigail so desperately needed took hold of him. _Hope_.


	45. Jet and Whiskey

     Abigail felt a smile cross her lips as she added another canister of Jet to the pile beside her. The colors around her became brighter, lines crisper. Abigail had found that she really liked Jet and the haze that it gave her. It made everything around her hyper focused without making her think about... _Shaun_... Abigail felt herself falter, even in her own mind. She had killed her son. She had failed her husband. Abigail broke down into sobs as all the emotions she was trying to bury resurfaced around her.

_Did you have to kill all of them?_ Virgil's words swirled inside her mind before they were replaced by Preston's. _How are you going to justify all the things you did to find your son if you have to kill people to do it?_ Abigail brought the bottle of whiskey to her lips. The burn of alcohol couldn't melt away the thoughts that refused to lay dormant in the back of her mind. Abigail struggled to focus on anything around her as she became lost in a haze of Jet and whiskey.

     "General?"

     She knew he was there. But as Abigail turned to face Preston all she could see was a blur of a dark figure approaching her. As her eyes struggled to focus, she whispered, "Preston?"

     "Yes, Abigail. It's me."

     Abigail sensed more then saw Preston sit beside her. Her head lulled to the side as she asked, "What... What do you want?"

     She could feel his arms encircling around her as he whispered, "I want you to come back to me."

     His request was simple enough, but how could she? She had failed and now she had nothing. Abigail felt she was only a husk of the women she had once been. Abigail slumped into his embrace as she stared up at what she knew to be Preston's face.

     Abigail could feel Preston lifting her into his arms. Moving her until her head rested against his chest. She lifted her fingers to trace along his chin as she whispered, "You remind me of him, you know..."

     Preston's voice was a low hum as he replied, "You've told me."

     "I wonder what he would think of me, if he could see me now..." Abigail's voice trailed off as more tears clouded her already blurred vision.

     Preston shifted under her as he pulled his glove off his hand before wiping the tears from Abigail's face.

     "He would understand, Abigail." Preston paused as he brushed a few strands of hair from her face. His bare fingers tracing along her skin. "He would love you now as he did before."

     Could Abigail truly believe that? Nate had died protecting their son and what had she done? She had killed him without hesitation. What would everyone think of her if they found out? How could anyone possibly forgive her? Abigail pulled her hand away from Preston's face as she muttered, "I think you're wrong."

     Preston caught Abigail's hand in his, holding it between them as he stared down at her. Abigail closed her eyes to hide from his stare as he told her, "It's how I would feel if I was in his place."

     Abigail's eyes remained closed as she asked, "Even though I did everything you warned me against?"

     She could hear his heartbeat through his chest. Calm and steady like his voice as he replied, "I did it to keep you from losing yourself, Abigail. I never wanted to see you like this again."

     Abigail's eyes fluttered open as Preston lifted her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. His words wisped around her as he told her, "It pains me to see you like this."

     Abigail's voice was a breathless whisper as she struggled to think through the haze in her mind, "Why?"

     Preston's thumb traced along her chin. A small smile crossed his lips as he replied, "Because I love you."

     Abigail stared up at Preston. The Jet and whiskey induced fog in her mind blurred his face, turning it into the face of the man she had grown to love more then anything in this world.

     Her hand escaped his grasp as she returned it to his face, whispering, "I love you."

     She could feel his shock and it confused her. How could the man she love be surprised when he loved her too? They stared at eachother for a moment before she felt his lips on hers. They were tender and full, making her heart flutter as their kiss deepened. She could feel his hands on her, pulling her closer. The fog in her mind became thicker as lust mixed with the Jet and whiskey that already ailed her.

     As his kisses moved from her lips down to her collar bone, Abigail could feel a moan forming deep in her throat as she called out for him, "Nate."

     She could feel him freeze over her. Blinking in surprise, Abigail stared up at the man above her. Nate's face disappearing back into the depths of her mind. A dark figure taking his place.

     "No..." Abigail whispered as she longed for Nate to reappear. Her vision began to clear as the high from the Jet began to fade. The man staring down at her wasn't Nate. Abigail could feel tears begin to stream down her cheeks. Emotions that she had failed to bury exploded inside of her. Her husband was dead. And worse, she had failed to keep her promise to him. Abigail succumbed to her grief as she began to sob.

     "Nate!" Abigail screamed as she clung to herself. None of this was right. She should have died here with her husband. Then her son would still be alive. Abigail felt panic begin to take hold of her as she struggled to free herself from Preston's grasp.

     "Hey, hey... Abigail. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." She could hear him whisper as his hold on her tightened.

     Abigail could feel herself hyperventilating, kicking and screaming as she failed to loosen his hold on her. All she wanted was to shrink away and hide, why was everyone insisting that she didn't? Because they all wanted something from her, but did anyone care about what she wanted? What she needed?

     "Abigail... Hey, stay with me." Preston whispered as he continued to hold her. Cupping her face with his hand, he forced her to meet his gaze. Abigail felt her fight leave her as she collapsed in his arms, a weak sob escaping her lips. Preston's face became more focused as she found her way through the clouded maze of her mind. Her voice cracked as she replied, "I can't do this anymore."

     "You can and you will. You're strong, Abigail. The Commonwealth needs you. _I_ need you..."

     And there it was. Someone _needs_ something from her. And she was tired of being used. Abigail sighed as a moment of clarity washed over her. Her voice sounded foreign to her ears as she muttered, "You're right, Preston. Give me a second and I'll met you outside."

     Preston looked down at Abigail with confusion, clearly surprised by her response. He hesitated for a moment before releasing her from his grasp. Abigail hugged her knees as Preston stood beside her. Watching her with concern, Preston asked, "Are you going to be alright, Abigail?"

     "Yes." She lied, "Just give me some privacy. Please."

     Silence surrounded them as Preston hesitated to leave, but after a few moments he turned on his heel and left without another word. Abigail waited until she heard the echo of the elevator ascending to the surface above before she went to stand. Walking towards Nate's corpse, she traced his reflection in the glass as she whispered, "It won't be long now, Nate."

     Abigail turned to face the cryogenic pod that had held her for over 200 years. What harm would a few more decades do? Abigail pressed a few buttons on the side of the machine before climbing inside. As the door sealed around her, she held up her hand towards Nate as she had the first time they had stepped into this trap. But this time she would set it off on purpose, so she could see the man she loved once more.

     Abigail watched ice crawl across the window as a voice stated, "Cryogenic stasis reinitialized in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."


	46. Thawing Through Steel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 3k hits?! You guys are the best! Honestly, I worried that my story sucked and everyone would hate it, but you guys have been so supportive and sweet!!! Just know I appreciate you guys!!! And thank you for all the positive feedback!
> 
> But enough about me! Let's find out what happens to Abigail, shall we???  
> <3 <3 <3

 

     "I thought you said she would be right out..." Hancock muttered irritably as he made his way down the corridors of Vault 111.

     "She just needs a minute, Hancock." Preston called after him as he followed Hancock deeper into the vault.

     Both men rounded another corner as they entered the empty chamber they had seen Abigail in a few hours before. The only evidence of Abigail's presence was a pile of empty Jet canisters and her discarded boots and leather jacket on the floor. Glancing around in confusion, Preston said, "She must have left when we weren't looking."

     "That's impossible." Hancock replied as he picked up Abigail's empty bottle of whiskey from the floor. Walking down the aisle of cryogenic pods, he added, "We were outside the entrance the whole time, there's no way she left without us noticing... She's in here... Somewhere."

     "She must be resting in one of the bunks." Preston muttered as he left the chamber to check the other rooms of the vault.

     As Hancock went to follow Preston, he glanced up at the pod beside him. Time froze as he stared at the figure inside. _Abigail_. Hancock raised his hand to the glass that separated them, his head still in denial of the situation in front of him.

     Hancock's daze muffled Preston's voice as he reentered the chamber, "Abigail's not here, Hancock."

     "I thought you said she was fine." Hancock spat, unable to look away from Abigail's sleeping form.

     "She was-"

     "Clearly not!" Hancock yelled. His voice echoing off the walls as he turned his head to glare at Preston. A look of confusion crossed Preston's face as he approached the pod. Both men paused as they stared at Abigail inside.

     "Abigail..." Preston's voice faltered as he turned to face Hancock, "We have to get her out of there."

     "No shit, Preston. But we can't just pry the door open, it could kill her."

     "Virgil may know how this tech works..."

     Hancock's eyes sparked dangerously as he replied curtly, "Go get him."

     As Preston scurried out of the vault, Hancock turned his focus back onto Abigail. Tracing her reflection, he whispered even though he knew she couldn't hear him, "Hang in there, sweetheart."

     When Preston returned with Virgil sometime later, Hancock snapped his fingers as he beckoned Virgil forward, "Can you release her?"

     "If she could figure it out, I shouldn't have a problem."

     "What part of this situation makes you think I'm in the mood for your fucking attitude?" Hancock muttered as he watched Virgil type on the monitor next to the cryogenic pod. When he had finished, Virgil took a step back, "Finished."

     As Virgil turned to leave Hancock grabbed him by the arm, pulling his face towards his. Hancock's eyes bore into Virgil's as he growled, "Let me make something perfectly clear: if you have some vedeta against Abigail and you think now is the time to act on it, you couldn't be further from the truth. If she dies because you fucked up, _I will kill you_... Slowly." Hancock paused as he jerked Virgil closer, "And it will be an excruciating death... You can't even begin to fathom that such pain is possible. But I assure you it is." He could feel Virgil cower under his touch as he added, "With that being said... Is there anything else we should know?"

     Virgil's eyes widened as he shook his head. Hancock released him as he turned to the cryogenic pod once more, "I shouldn't have to tell you that you aren't to breath a word to anyone about what you saw down here. Understood?" Hancock didn't wait for a reply before he barked, "Now get out."

     "What's the plan?" Preston asked as Virgil left the room.

     "We thaw her out and get her sober. By force if necessary..." Hancock paused as he pulled his gaze away from Abigail, turning to face Preston, "Are you sure you have the stomach for this, boy scout?"

     Hancock pressed the red button on the pod as Preston nodded his head. The door made a soft hiss as it opened, Hancock reached his hand out to steady Abigail as she stumbled out in a daze. Abigail stared up at him with confusion, pushing his arms away as she lost her balance. Hancock could feel his anger melt away at the sight of her frail form as she collapsed on the ground.

     "Nate..." Abigail coughed as her lungs became accustomed to breathing once again. Glancing around as she knelt on all fours, she could see Nate's pod was the same as she had left it. Her screams echoed through the vault, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

     "Abigail..." Hancock felt a tug at his heart as he knelt beside her. Wrapping his arm around Abigail only to have her retract from his touch as if it had burned her.

     Crawling away from him, she yelled, "Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

     Hancock's voice was calm as he slowly advanced on her, "We're tryin' to help you, sweetheart."

     "I don't want your help! Leave me alone!"

     Hancock's steps were slow and calculated as he closed the distance between them. When Hancock was finally within striking distance, he thrust his hand out to grab her, preventing her escape. Abigail screamed and kicked as he struggled to wrap his arms around her. Abigail's crazed eyes glanced around in panic, her gaze locking onto Preston's as she pleaded, "Please, Preston! He's hurting me! Get him off!"

     "That's enough, Hancock!" Preston shouted as he grabbed Hancock by the collar and pulled him off of her. Abigail managed to free herself from Hancock's grasp, falling to the floor before crawling back to the pod. As the two men exchanged blows in the aisle, Abigail franticly started pressing a series of buttons on the side of her cryogenic pod before climbing back inside.

     "Goddamnit, Preston!" Hancock cursed as he shoved Preston off of him and stopped the pod's door from closing. Throwing Abigail over his shoulder, Hancock raised his voice so Preston could hear him over Abigail's hysterical screams, "You can either help me or stay the fuck out of my way."

     Preston held his tongue as he followed Hancock through a maze of corridors until they reached the Overseer's office. Nodding to the cage that had previously served as the vault's armory, Hancock barked at Preston over the echo of Abigail’s shrill cries, "Grab me some handcuffs."

     Preston stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at Hancock with disbelief, "You can't be serious..."

     Hancock didn't look back as he carried Abigail into the Overseer's sleeping quarters, yelling over his shoulder, "I'm not fucking listening to you anymore, boy scout. We tried doin' things your way and it didn't work."

     The Overseer's quarters were mostly barren except for a mattress that had been thrown onto an old metal bed frame and a few dressers that were pressed up against the walls. The room had it's own private bathroom that had stopped working centuries ago. Hancock crossed the room to the bed as he tried to set Abigail ontop of it as gently as possible. Abigail continued to thrash in his grasp, trying to break herself free as she continued to scream.

     "Here." Preston muttered over Hancock's shoulder as he reentered the room with a couple pairs of handcuffs. Hancock struggled to hold Abigail down on the bed as he locked the first cuff around her wrist, lacing it through the bars of the bedframe before locking it onto her other wrist. As the click registered in her ears, Abigail's eyes widened as she shrieked, "What the fuck is this?!"

     "We’re helping you, sunshine." Hancock whispered as his hands pinned down her legs, cuffing her ankles to the bottom of the bed frame.

     Abigail's screams became more hysterical as panic began to consume her, "You can't do this! I'm the fucking general! Release me! That's a fucking order!" When neither man responded, her screams became sobs as she yelled, "I just want to see my husband again! Why won't you leave me alone?!"

     Hancock took a seat in a rusted metal chair beside the bed. Tracing his fingers along her face as he whispered, "Running isn't going to make your pain go away, sunshine... It will catch up. Do you really want to risk coming out of that freezer and having to pick up where you left off all alone?"

     Abigail's fight left her with a heavy sigh as she turned her head to stare down the corridor that lead to the cryogenic pods. Hancock could barely hear her as she muttered, "It's not like he would be able to stand the sight of me anyways..."

     "Sweetheart..." Hancock's voice trailed off as his fingers brushed a few strands of hair from her face, "How could you think something that?"

     "Because I killed him!" Abigail's voice cracked as she fell into a fit of sobs. Her body trembled under Hancock’s touch as he tried to comfort her, "No, Abigail. The Institute killed them."

     "No..." Abigail's voice was barely more than a whisper as Preston and Hancock struggled to hear her say, " _Shaun._ "

     Hancock and Preston exchanged confused glances before Hancock guided Abigail's gaze back to him. His hand cupped her chin as he replied, "Don't carry this burden alone, sunshine... Let us help you."

     "You can't help me!" Abigail screamed, thrashing her limbs against the handcuffs that held her. The bed shook beneath her as she failed to free herself from her bindings. Hancock could see a wild rage burning in those copper eyes as she yelled, "I fucking killed my son."

     "What?" Preston voice faltered as he stared at both of them in shock.

     "That's right, Preston. Your general, who endangered so many lives to find her son. Shot him dead after one short conversation."

     "Wha-How? What happened?" Preston whispered from the foot of the bed.

     Abigail's body stilled as she closed her eyes. Tears streamed down her face as her words wisped throughout the chamber, "He was the leader of the Institute. My cryogenic pod malfunctioning... Kellogg... That boy we saw in his memories... They were all breadcrumbs in his sick game to see if I would make it to the Institute. But the reality was: I was 60 years too late..."

     "Why would the Institute kidnap an infant just to raise it to be their leader?"

_"Scientific curiosity_..." Both men stared at Abigail with confusion as she continued, "The Institute wanted to make the perfect synth and needed uncorrupted DNA... That's why they took Shaun and killed my husband..."

     Abigail voice cracked as her words echoed off the walls, "My family was destroyed for _fucking scientific curiosity!_ "

     A silence fell between them, only broken by the occasional drop of water echoing down the corridors from the cryogenic chamber. Hancock stared down at the women beneath him that he had grown to admire more than any other. He was finally beginning to understand the depth of the despair that ailed her. Her only coping mechanism for the loss of her husband was the promise she had made to save their son. Hancock had thought it was the failure to find him that had pained her, but now he understood that it was witnessing the monster he had become that had sent her over the edge. Making her broken promise all the more unbearable.

     Preston's voice pulled Hancock from his trance as he pleaded, "General... I'm so sorry, but the Commonwealth still needs you-"

     Abigail's still form lashed out against her bindings, her voice was laced with resentment as she spat, "The only reason anyone wants me around is to run the damn Minutemen! I'm sick of being used!"

     "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, sunshine." Hancock guided her gaze back to him as he continued, "We can start our own drug ring in Goodneighbor... Go live as hermits amongst the ferals in Lexington... We can leave the Commonwealth and start over... Anything you want, sweetheart. But I just can't let you continue like this..."

     A heavy sigh escaped Abigail's lips as tears continued to stream down her face. Her voice cracked as she asked, "Why?"

     "I love you, Abigail." A small smile crossed Hancock's face as he whispered, "And I know you would do the same for me."

     Abigail stared at Hancock in silence, while her thoughts started reeling in her head. She couldn't hear this. Abigail was reliving her husband's death all over again and it was causing her more grief than ever. Abigail shook her head back and forth as she yelled, "Leave!"

     Hancock's dark eyes bore into her's as he stated, "No."

     "I clearly can't fucking go anywhere!" Abigail jerked against the handcuffs as she screamed, "Just leave me alone!"

     "No..." Hancock traced his fingers along Abigail's face as he whispered, "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

     "But..." Abigail's voice faltered as she succumbed to another fit of sobs, "I killed my son..."

     "No." Hancock's words lingered in the air between them, "That man you killed wasn't your son, Abigail. He was a product of the Institute. The son you and Nate shared died the moment the Institute took him."

     Abigail didn't say another word as another fit of sobs consumed her. Abigail knew what he said was true, but she found little comfort in them. She didn't know how much time passed before she felt Hancock uncuffing her. She clung to his jacket as he wrapped his arms around her. Her voice was weak as she whispered, "Hancock..."

     "You don't have to say anything, sweetheart..."

     So she didn't. Abigail let him hold her as they laid side by side. Hancock nestled his face into her hair as he pulled her closer to him. Abigail took comfort in his presence as his warmth melted away the wall she had built between them. Finally able to relax, Abigail allowed herself to fall into a peaceful slumber in the arms of the man who refused to give up on her.


	47. A Final Goodbye

     Hancock awoke with a start, reaching out a hand for Abigail's sleeping form beside him. Only to find that Abigail was nowhere in sight. The hiss of a cryogenic pod echoed through the vault's corridors. Hancock felt his heart race as panic consumed him.  _ No _ . Abigail couldn't leave him. Not after coming so far.

     Hancock jumped to his feet as he raced down the hallways until he came to the empty chamber that held Abigail's dead husband. Mist gathered around Abigail's feet as the door sealed shut in front of her, closing around Nate's corpse.

     A sigh of relief escaped Hancock's lips as he crossed the chamber to stand beside her. Abigail remained silent as he approached her, staring at Nate's body inside the cryogenic pod for a moment before she whispered, "I accept the fact that I will probably never speak to him again..."

     Abigail turned to face Hancock as she stood under him, staring up into the inky depths of his black eyes as she continued, "But I can't lose hope that he'll live. That someday someone else will be able to save him when I couldn't."

     "Sunshine..." Hancock's voice trailed off as he struggled to find words to comfort her.

     Tears gathered in her eyes, but did not fall down her face as she pleaded, "If I die before you, promise me that you'll do everything in your power to save him. Help him, as you have helped me."

     Hancock didn't hesitate before he answered, "Yes."

     Her voice gained confidence as she stated, "I know I am not the same person who awoke here all that time ago." Abigail paused as she closed her eyes before adding, "For better or for worse, this is me and I accept it."

     "Don't say that like it's a bad thing, sweetheart." Hancock whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair. A hesitant smile crossed his lips as he added, "You know you're my world, right?"

     Abigail smiled weakly. Nodding her head before she replied, "What I am trying to say is: thank you, Hancock... I couldn't have gotten through any of this without you."

     Hancock's hand cupped her head as he leaned forward. A cocky smile crossed his lips as he told her, "You inspire me, Abigail."

     They stared at eachother for a moment before Hancock brought his lips to hers, only to have Abigail shy away from his kiss. Hancock's brow wrinkled with confusion as his voice faltered, "Abigail...?"

     Staring back at Nate's pod, a single tear streamed down Abigail's cheek as she whispered, "I'm sorry. I just can't. Not right now."

     Guiding Abigail's face towards his, Hancock's raspy voice hung on the air between them as he replied, "Hey... It's okay. I understand."

     Abigail nodded, unable to meet his gaze as she asked, "Can we get out of here?"

     "I'll follow you anywhere, sunshine."

     Abigail and Hancock made their way out of Vault 111. Abigail didn't look back as they descended the hill back to Sanctuary Hills. A group of settlers and synths had formed outside of Mama Murphy's house. As Hancock and Abigail approached they could hear a familiar voice addressing the crowd from under the ruined house’s overhang, "...your memories will be erased and you can begin your lives anew outside of the Commonwealth."

     Making her way through the crowd, Abigail could see Desdemona's figure facing the masses as she continued, "All the fear the Institute gave you... The prejudices that you have experienced... The pain you have felt... Gone! And you will be able to live a normal life."

     "A normal life?" Abigail couldn't stop herself from laughing as she broke through the crowd to face Desdemona. Abigail eyed Glory and Deacon on either side of Desdemona as she said in a voice laced in sarcasm, "How the fuck can any of this be considered normal? It's the furthest thing from it! Anyone who claims otherwise is delusional."

     "I'm giving these synths an opportunity-"

     "An  _ opportunity _ ? That's what you are calling it?" Abigail's voice rose as she pointed an accusatory finger at Desdemona, "Tell me,  _ Dez _ ... What happens when you integrate these synths into society outside of the Commonwealth? They would form their own  _ human _ lives. That much is true, but how long will it be before they start to realize strange things about themselves? They can't conceive children... Their neighbors start wondering why they aren't aging... The life they had built will shatter. And they won't know why because  _ you _ have erased the answer from their minds! These synths will be completely alone when they discover they're synths all over again and they will be at the mercy of whoever or whatever is around them."

     Desdemona's eyes narrowed as a small smirk crossed her lips, "I would think you of all people would be more understanding... Aren't there memories you want to forget? Maybe about the Institute? Or perhaps even about your son?"

     "Watch your mouth..." Hancock growled as he took a step protectively in front of Abigail.

     Murmurs broke out through the crowd as Glory announced, "That's right! Your precious general's son was the leader of the Institute! Who can really be sure where her loyalty lies?"

     "How the fuck-" Hancock started before the sound of Abigail's laugh drew his attention. Her laugh echoed throughout the settlement, silencing the crowd as all eyes fell onto her.

     "Is that your secret weapon? What you thought would make me trip up? You are pathetic, as is your entire organization." Abigail turned her back towards the Railway agents as she faced the crowd of settlers and synths before her, "We did in  _ one _ day what these fools couldn't do in decades!  _ We _ destroyed the Institute!" Abigail paused as her focus moved from face to face before she continued, "There is nothing for us to fear as long as we have each other!

     "When I first awoke in this world… I was completely alone, my son had been kidnapped and my husband murdered. I was utterly lost..." Abigail's focus found it's way to Hancock as she stated, "But I have met souls in my travels that give me hope for the future. Together we rebuilt what had been lost and destroyed the evil that hid in the shadows. While I have memories that pain me, as I’m sure we all do, those memories... You can't forget the bad without forgetting the good. And that pain you feel defines who we are. Don't throw that away on a fool's errand. Fight with me to build a better Commonwealth for humans and synths alike."

     A stillness fell over Sanctuary Hills as the crowd stared at Abigail in silence before breaking into applause. Glory rolled her eyes as Desdemona muttered even though her voice was drowned out by the crowd's cheers, "Find us when you come to your senses..."

     Deacon's gaze was hidden by his sunglasses as Desdemona and Glory turned to leave. A smile crossed his face as he took a step towards Abigail, whispering, "Good luck, General." Before turning to follow the other Railroad agents out of Sanctuary Hills.

     The sound of the crowd became muffled as Abigail watched Deacon disappear into the masses. Her daze only breaking when Preston found his way through the crowd, pulling Abigail's focus to his face as he beamed, "General! That was amazing!"

     Abigail's face remained emotionless as she replied, "Tell the Minutemen, we are ready for Phase Two."

     Preston's grin grew wider as he exclaimed, "Yes, General!"

     Abigail turned to face Hancock. His usual cocky grin was spread across his face as he asked in a raspy voice, "What's Phase Two, sunshine?"

     "With an Institute gone, there's nothing stopping us from forming a true government here in the Commonwealth."

     "Then I take it we're staying?"

     A weak smile crossed Abigail's face as she whispered, "Yes, John. We’re staying."


	48. A Strong Resolve

     "Always wanted my own castle..." Hancock mused to himself as he stepped into the courtyard of the Minutemen Castle. Sunlight bathed the restored stone walls that encircled the radio beckon in the center of the clearing, while a gentle sea breeze wisped around him. A familiar voice chimed in from behind him, "An egotistical pirate mayor is scary enough... Imagine the Commonwealth's horror at an egotistical pirate mayor _king..._ "

     A small smile crossed Hancock's face as he turned to face Piper. Once the Railway agents had left Sanctuary Hills, Abigail had sent messengers to every settlement in the Commonwealth with news of the Institute's destruction and calling for representatives to be sent to Fort Independence to form a provisional government. When Abigail, Hancock, and Preston had arrived at the Castle less than a week later, dozens of settlers had already gathered, eager to rebuild the Commonwealth. One of them being the infamous Piper Wright.

     "I'm still surprised the uptight residents of Diamond City sent the noisy reporter to be their representative..."

     "Meh..." Piper shrugged as she replied, "I think folks still aren't convinced that the Institute is really gone... And after what happened to the Commonwealth's last provisional government, there weren't many volunteers."

     A laugh escaped Hancock's lips before he scoffed, "I can see why... I thought that crowd would never agree. Fucking politics gives me a headache..."

     "So says Goodneighbor's so called mayor..."

     "It's more of a self appointed mayorship..." Hancock chuckled. When Piper didn't reply, he added nonchalantly, "Honestly expected Mayor McDonough to make a grand appearance."

     "You didn't hear?"

     "Hear what?" Hancock muttered as he raised a brow at Piper.

     "Sturges deciphered the flash drive Abigail brought back from the Institute. Mayor McDonough was a synth."

     The shock hit Hancock with the force of a freight train. His brother had been replaced by an Institute synth? When? How? Stunned, he breathed,"What?"

     Slightly taken aback by Hancock's surprise, Piper's voice softened as she hesitantly said, "Yeah... Diamond City security tried to arrest him, but... he's dead, Hancock."

     Hancock became lost in his own thoughts as the realization dawned on him. Pausing for a moment before he whispered, "I wonder how long I was angry with my brother... and it wasn't even him."

     "I'm sorry, Hancock. Do you... Do you..." Hancock could see Piper winch as she finished her sentence in a strained voice, "...want to talk about it?"

     "No." Hancock stated flatly, "It's not like I held much love for my brother before he was replaced by a synth. I'd rather see how Abigail is holding up. Where is she by the way?"

     "Probably tutoring Strong."

     "Who the hell is Strong?"

     Piper pressed her lips together as she stared up at the midday sky above them, musing, "He's more of a _what_ then a _who_..."

     Hancock could feel his blood rushing through his veins as he whispered, "He?"

     Piper's laugh doused his jealousy as she pointed across the castle courtyard towards the stone steps that lead to the top of the fort's walls that shielded them. Abigail leaned against the wall halfway up the flight of stairs, still fashioning her tricorn hat along with Kellogg's clothes, while a lone super mutant sat at the foot of the steps. Both of their faces were buried in books as they read silently.

     "Holy shit... And I'd thought I'd seen it all... She's teaching a super mutant to read?"

     Hancock momentarily forgot his inner struggle as he and Piper approached the pair. Hancock tried to recall the last time he and Abigail had really spoken as he watched Abigail continue to be preoccupied by whatever it was she was reading. She had remained distant after leaving Sanctuary Hills. Hancock realized he had been foolish to have hoped Abigail would return to her usual self after the night they had shared in Vault 111. Once they had arrived at the Castle, Abigail had laid out an itinerary for the formation of the Commonwealth's new government and once the representatives had started to debate over the finer details, she had disappeared, leaving them to sort it out for themselves. The discussions had lasted for days before they had addressed all the issues in Abigail's outline.

     The super mutant's thunderous voice broke Hancock from his trance as Strong yelled, "Strong demands human lead Him to milk of human kindness!"

     Abigail turned her head to glance at the green giant staring up at her from the foot of the steps as she calmly replied, "I've told you, Strong... The milk of human kindness isn't somewhere you can go physically." Tapping her finger against her temple, Abigail added, "It's somewhere only your mind can go. And your's isn't strong enough for the journey."

     "Then make Strong's mind stronger!" Strong demanded as he stomped his foot.

     Her focus returning to her book, Abigail asked, "Why do you think we are reading?"

     "Strong doesn't want to read! Strong wants to find milk of human kindness! NOW!"

     Abigail's voice was soft, yet commanding as she replied, "Just like crushing things with your sledge makes your muscles stronger. Books make your mind stronger."

     "Strong will prove he is stronger than human's stupid book!"

     Abigail didn't look up from her book as she muttered, "Strong... I swear if you destroy one more book, I won't help you find the milk of human kindness..."

     "Human isn't helping Strong now!"

     Abigail closed her book with a sigh as she stared down the steps at the super mutant. Holding up her book, Abigail asked, "What is this, Strong?"

     "A book..." Strong muttered with a huff.

     "What did you think it was before I taught you to read?"

     "Worthless human junk..."

     "Books contain information that you are able to unlock with your mind... But somethings are harder to decipher than others. Despite what you may believe Strong, your mind is growing stronger... And when you are ready, I will take you to find the milk of human kindness. So keep reading..."

     Without another word, Abigail returned to reading her book. Strong stared down at his for a moment before he began to pull the bindings apart.

     "If you destroy that book, Strong... You're just proving that you're weaker than it." Abigail stated, not bothering to look up as she turned a page and continued to read.

     Strong paused from pulling at the bindings to look up at Abigail with irritation, "Strong is not weak!"

     "Prove it. Unlock it's knowledge."

     Waves of vibrations traveled beneath Hancock's feet as Strong threw himself onto the ground with a huff, opening his book as he stated, "Strong will conquer book!" before returning to reading once more.

     Hancock chuckled as he neared them, "Now this looks like the start of a seriously good time to me..."

     Strong glanced in Hancock's direction with annoyance before returning his attention to his book, "No fun. Milk of human kindness is business."

     Abigail didn't look up as she asked, "Did you vote on a president yet?"

     Hancock scratched the back of his head as he muttered, "Uhh... Yeah 'bout that..."

     "You're looking at her!" Piper beamed as she jumped in front of Hancock. He watched Abigail smile for the first time in what seemed like ages as she looked up from her book at Piper.

     "President Wright does have a nice ring to it..." Abigail chuckled as she walked down the stairs to stand beside them before she added, "Congratulations, Madam President."

     Piper's smile faltered as she whispered, "It should have been you, Blue."

     Abigail's own smile softened as she clasped her hand around Piper's shoulder, pausing a moment before she replied, "No, Piper. The Commonwealth needs to look forward, not focus on a relic from the past."

     As Piper opened her mouth to speak, Abigail cut in, "Piper... You're a good friend, but it's over. You are the Commonwealth's first president." With a shrug, Abigail added, "Besides, I'm done with being in charge. Just look at this as me tying up loose ends before I go."

     Piper and Hancock exchanged looks before Piper asked, "Go?"

     Abigail raised an eyebrow as she replied, "Yeah... Go. You're the president and you'll appoint a new general to take my place. So there's not really a reason for me to stick around. I'll clear out of my office before the day is done."

     "Not so fast..." Piper said as she took a step towards Abigail. A smug smirk crossed her face as she playfully pointed a finger at Abigail, "By the power vested in me, I appoint you, Blue, as my Minuteman General!"

     Abigail laughed as she asked, "Why not just ask Preston? I'm sure he would be overjoyed at being your right hand."

     "Seriously, Blue? You rose the Minutemen from the ashes and single-handedly destroyed the Institute!"

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she stated, "Preston helped me out a lot and I didn't take out the Institute alone, the synths helped me."

     "You don't give yourself enough credit, Blue. Preston just pointed you in the right direction... You still did all the heavy lifting!" Piper said with mild irritation.

     "Which is what you want out of a general-"

     "Listen to me for one second, Blue." Piper interjected, "It would be a huge waste to make you clear out all your stuff and take off, just to have someone clueless take over your position. Just do this for me. Please, Blue? I'm overwhelmed enough as it is and I could really use my best friend."

     With a heavy sigh, Abigail replied, "When you put it like that..."

     "Yes!" Piper exclaimed, jumping up and down before wrapping her arms around Abigail. Their hug lasted for a moment, before Piper reluctantly released her. She beamed at Abigail as she added, "You are the best, Blue!"

     "Yes, she is..." Hancock mused, his usual cocky grin crossing his face. A silence passed between them as Piper gave Hancock a slight glare. But Hancock wasn't looking at her as his gaze focused solely on Abigail. Glancing between them, Piper muttered as she turned to leave, "And on that very awkward note, I'm going to go... do important presidency stuff..."

     A soft smiled crossed Abigail's lips as Hancock muttered, "Don't let me stop you..."

     As Piper disappeared within the fort's walls, Hancock shifted his weight nervously as he stared down at Abigail beside him, "You look better, sunshine."

     Abigail bite her bottom lip as she broke eye contact with him, her voice was a soft whisper as she replied, "Thanks."

     Hancock could feel his heart pounding in his ears as another silence fell between them. It felt as if he was starting all over again with Abigail, but Hancock knew he would never give up on her or their future. He would make Abigail whole again, piece by piece.

     Abigail's voice broke him from his trance as she asked, "How did it go in there?"

     "You know..." Hancock said with a smirk as he turned to face her. Brushing a few strands of hair from her face as he continued, "They probably would have come to an agreement a lot sooner if you had participated in the debate."

     "I can't do everything for them... They have to want it."

     Hancock's hand cupped Abigail's face, his thumb traced along her cheek as he whispered, "Surely it wouldn't have hurt if you had intervened this just once?"

     Abigail rolled her eyes as she muttered, "Which could be justified for the next time and then the one after that until I'm dead and everything falls apart because these people never had to do anything for themselves..." Abigail sighed as she turned away from Hancock to stared up at the Minutemen's flag waving from the top of the castle wall, "Perhaps if General Beckett had done things differently... Maybe I would have awoken to a different Commonwealth."

     Hancock rested his chin on her shoulder as they both stood in silence until approaching footsteps drew their attention. Abigail and Hancock turned to see a Minuteman standing at attention behind them. Pausing to regard Hancock before focusing on Abigail, the man stated, "We need you inside, General."

     "Why am I not surprised?" Abigail said with a sigh as she and Hancock followed the Minuteman inside the walls of Fort Independence. Strong paused from reading his book as he stood to follow. Their footsteps echoed through the hollowed stone corridors until they stood outside of the double doors that lead to the largest chamber within the fort, which Abigail had designated as the conference room for the Commonwealth's representatives.

     Shouting could be heard from within as Abigail paused with her hands on the door handles. Hancock wrapped an arm around her, waiting for Abigail to look up at him before he whispered, "You can do this, sweetheart. I'm right behind you."

     "Thank you, Hancock." Hancock could hear Abigail's words wisp around him as he felt her lips kiss his cheek. Stunned, Hancock raised his hand to his face as Abigail opened the double doors and entered the meeting hall, Strong tight on her heels. Tables for each settlement lined the aisle, where familiar faces melted into a crowd of strangers as Abigail made her way to the front. Every person within the chamber was standing while they continued to yell amongst themselves as an annoyed Piper failed to restore order.

     "Silence!" Strong shouted as he slammed his fist onto Piper's desk. The desk creaked in protest as the echo of Stong's voice bounced throughout the Castle's walls as the room fell silent. Abigail eyed the crowd as she stood beside Piper, her voice was calm, yet demanding as she stated, "Be seated."

     A few murmurs broke the silence as the settlers all took a seat at their respective tables. Hancock made his way to Goodneighbor's table at the back of the room, where the pre-war ghoul, Daisy, was already seated with Fahrenheit leaning against the wall behind her. He wasn't surprised that Goodneighbor had chosen Daisy to help found the Commonwealth's new government, she had been around since before the war and had an idea of the kind of order they had hoped to created. And after what had happened to representatives of the last provisional government, Fahrenheit had insisted on coming. Her being Hancock's body guard and all.

     "Mayor." Daisy whispered as Hancock took a seat beside her. Hancock could hear amusement in Fahrenheit's voice as she chuckled, "You didn't mention your 'latest squeeze' had a super mutant for a body guard... Should I be worried you're thinking about getting an upgrade?"

     Before Hancock answered, Piper's voice drew the crowd's attention as she addressed the room, "We were trying to discuss what to do about the dagger at our throat-"

     "What is the General going do about the Brotherhood of Steel?" A male voice interjected from the back of the room.

     Hancock watched Abigail's eyes narrowed, her voice was laced with irritation as she stated, "Let me make something perfectly clear: I am no longer in charge. You all have chosen a president, who deserves our respect and will _not_ be interrupted..." Abigail paused as her focus changed from face to face before she continued, "I am merely her general and will advise her on military tactics. I suggest we keep our interruptions to a minimum. It's difficult to have a discussion if a person can't even complete a sentence without someone else butting in."

     The same man that had interrupted Piper stood from his chair at the back of the room. Abigail recognized him as a former Minuteman, who had served under General Beckett. Although she had forgotten his name, Abigail remembered he had been one of the first to settle at the Egret Tours Marina. The man had a small frame as a result of malnutrition as a child and his leather skin was wrinkled from a lifetime of Minutemen service.

     He ran a hand through his grey hair as he muttered, "General Beckett would have known what to do... He would have taken care of everything!"

     Abigail's laugh echoed through the chamber as she replied with a sarcastic smile, "It's true. He would have taken care of everything and at the end of the day, he would kissed you on the forehead as he tucked you into your blissful, ignorant sleep..." Her smile fell from her lips as she continued, "But everything went to shit when he died, didn't it? The president and I are trying to prevent that from happening. Which means... You need to start doing shit for yourselves and participating in the decisions made around you. Is that clear?"

     When no one replied, Abigail extended her hand out in front of Piper as she stated, "Madame President, you have the floor."

     Piper and Abigail exchanged a smile before Piper turned her attention back to the assembly. Confidence grew in her voice as she said, "As I was saying, we were discussing what is to be done about the Brotherhood of Steel."

     "What does it matter? They only have a problem with ghouls and synths." A voice called from the other end of the room.

     Hancock stood from his chair as his raspy voice filled the chamber, "So I suppose the next time a group of ferals runs through your settlement we should all just sit on our hands?" Hancock's voice turned into a hum as he chuckled, "Ferals're only a problem for smooth skins after all..."

     "What Hancock is trying to say..." Hancock smiled as Nick Valentine's voice trailed after his own. Glancing a few tables ahead, Hancock could see the synth stand from his seat. His yellow eyes scanning the room as he continued, "Is that a problem for one of us, is a problem for all of us. The General called this assembly so we could ban together, not bicker and fight amongst ourselves."

     "That's right!" Blake Abernathy stated from a few tables beside Nick. Turning to face the crowd, he continued, "We have a chance to start a new era here. And the Brotherhood ain't gonna adhere to our rules. They need to be dealt with."

     The crowd nodded and made soft murmurs of agreement as Piper looked to Abigail, "What can we do, Blue?"

     "You all come to an agreement and the Minutemen will make it happen." Abigail said with a smile as she made her way back up the aisle towards the exit. The crowd hardly noticed her departure as they continued to debate amongst themselves. Hancock could feel a tug at his heart as he watched Strong follow Abigail out of the room and close the door behind them. He wanted so badly to go after her, but knew that it was his duty as Mayor of Goodneighbor to stay.

     It took hours, but as the sun's last rays left the windows of Fort Independence, their decision had been made. The Brotherhood of Steel had to go, by force if necessary.


	49. Battle Plan

     "ABE-gale is not to be disturbed!"

     Piper, Preston, and Hancock paused outside of Abigail's quarters within Fort Independence, it's entrance blocked by an irritated green giant. Holding his hands up defensively, Preston replied, "Relax, Strong. We just need to discuss something with her."

     "No!" Strong's face contorted into a scowl as he continued, "The last time you spoke to leader, ABE-gale left Strong alone for weeks!"

     "We had a lead on the man who kidnapped her son-"

     "We're wasting our time trying to reason with this idiot." Hancock muttered as he took a step towards Strong, "Stand aside or I'll make you..."

     "Wrinkly human thinks he can beat Strong? Strong smash!!!"

     The door creaked open as an older women in army fatigues poked her head out from behind the door. A military cap held her short dark hair in place, revealing the sun damage on her face and neck. Her eyes narrowed at the crowd that had formed outside of her General's chambers before Ronnie Shaw muttered sarcastically to Strong, "Relax you big brute, you wanna smash something? My brahman steak in the chow hall needs tenderizing."

     Turning his attention away from Hancock, Strong sent vibrations across the floor as he stomped his foot, "Mean lady is NOT Strong's leader!"

     Abigail's soft voiced called to him from inside her office, "But I am, Strong. Let them in."

     With a deep grumble, Strong stepped aside, letting Hancock, Piper, and Preston enter before ducking his head under the doorway to follow. As the door closed behind them, Hancock realized he had yet to visit Abigail's chambers within Fort Independence. Salvaged prewar paintings lined the stone walls along with a few pieces of furniture, a single bed was tucked up against the far wall. Abigail leaned over a desk that had been placed in the center of the room. A single light bulb hung above her, it's light illuminating the map she was examining.

     Abigail didn't look up as the group entered. Stating more to herself, rather than to anyone in particular, "Shaw has brought me up to speed on the debates. It seems the Minutemen have a job to get done. We just need to go about this the right way..."

     "What there to talk about?!" Strong muttered as he went to stand over Abigail, "Strong smash!"

     A soft sigh escaped Abigail's lips before she glanced up at her giant green bodyguard, "Strong, smash the light bulb..."

     Strong didn't require any further convincing as he drew his super sledge from his back, glaring up at the ceiling were his target hung motionless. A battle cry escaped his lips as he jumped and swung his sledge at the defenseless prewar object. But no crash came, no glass fell to the floor. Strong scowled up at the light bulb as he jumped again and took another swing, but even with his immense size and reach, Strong's sledge still couldn't reach its target.

     "Strong will get a bigger sledge!" Strong growled as he continued to glare at the light above them. Oblivious to Hancock's snickering behind him.

     Abigail's voice drew Strong's attention back to her as she said, "Even if you could break this one light bulb, Strong. The Brotherhood's airship is hundreds of feet in the air. You could never reach it, not with our weapons..."

     "Then what can we do, Blue?"

     A small smile crossed Abigail lips as she turned her attention to Piper, "Ronnie and I have been discussing if we could use an artillery strike on the Prydwen..."

     "The trick is..." Ronnie interjected, "We need to target it from multiple directions, to overwhelm their defense."

     Readjusting his militia hat, Preston chuckled, "I guess it's a good thing we've already placed plenty of artillery at every settlement."

     Hancock's usual cocky grin spread across his face as he added, "The Brotherhood won't be 'cleansing' anything after that... And we get to celebrate with one hell of a barbeque."

     "But... all those people..." Piper whispered in a hollow voice, "Total annihilation should be our last resort."

     "They have it coming... Trying to lord over the Commonwealth. It ends with either them or us." Ronnie Shaw muttered as she looked sideways at Piper.

     "No... the President is right." Abigail said as she locked eyes with Piper, "Violence should be our last resort. And we have no idea what the other chapters of the Brotherhood will do in retaliation-"

     "Strong says: Let them come!" Strong's voice echoed throughout the stone room, "Strong will smash them asunder!"

     Abigail smiled up at the super mutant towering above her, "Glad to see your vocabulary is improving, Strong." Turning her focus back to the group, she added, "It's no secret that they are technologically superior, even if we destroy their airship and drive them out of the Commonwealth... They can always regroup and come at us later."

     "Sounds like a lose/lose situation, Blue. What can we do?"

     Abigail was silent for moment as she walked to the window to stare out at the Prydwen moored across the harbor, "We call a parley."

     "Parley? Strong confused..." The super mutant muttered as he scratched the back of his neck with one of his massive hands.

     Abigail crossed her arms as she continued to stare out the window, "It's an old military term... They will know it. I'm hoping we can discuss terms of peace."

     Cocking an eyebrow at Abigail, Hancock asked, "And if they don't oblige, sunshine?"

     The room was silent for a moment before Abigail looked back towards the group, replying, "Then we blow them out of the sky..."

     "Sounds like a plan to me..." Hancock said with a smirk as the rest of the group nodded in agreement.

     Turning to face her third-in-command, Abigail said to Shaw, "Send out a messenger immediately to inform the Brotherhood of Steel our wish to call a parley."

     "Shouldn't we wait for first light, General?"

     "Time is of the essence, my friend. I need you to also send out additional messengers to all surrounding settlements. We need them to be up to date with all Minuteman code words." As Ronnie went to leave, Abigail grabbed her by the arm. Her voice was low as she added, "You shouldn't need to remind them, but do it anyways, that we need them listening to Radio Freedom at all times and to be ready to use the artillery at a moment's notice."

     "Yes, General!" Shaw gave Abigail a salute before clearing out of the room to complete her task. Turning to face Piper, Abigail said, "We need to move you into hiding."

     "You've got to be kidding me, Blue!" Piper protested "I'm the president-"

     "A president..." Abigail interrupted, "Of a new nation that is in a very fragile state. We can't afford to let anything happen to you." As Piper opened her mouth to speak, Abigail held up her hand, "You said you needed my help and you have it. I'll take care of this, Piper. You have my word."

     Piper stared at Abigail in silence before nodding her head reluctantly, "Where did you have in mind?"

     Grabbing a set of keys from her front pocket, Abigail turned them over in her hand before looking up at Piper, "The Cabot house. It's remained untouched for the past 200 years, I can't imagine anyone looking for you there now." Tossing the keys to Piper, Abigail added, "Take a detachment of Minutemen to escort you, but not enough to draw attention to yourselves."

     Crossing the room to clasp her hand around Piper's shoulder, Abigail told her in a soft voice, "We know Brotherhood scouts have been watching the Castle... You should leave tonight, along with the rest of the representatives and split up in the ruins, the scouts won't be able to follow all of you. Make sure to have a few men backtrack once you reach the Common to assure that you weren't followed. Stay until I send word that it's safe."

     The friends stared at each other in silence before Piper muttered hesitantly, "Blue, I don't feel right leaving you..."

     "Doing what's right doesn't always feel like it..." Abigail replied with a chuckle as she pulled Piper in for a hug. The girls held each other for a minute before Piper pulled away. Muttering as she wiped a tear from her cheek, "You're one of a kind, you know that, Blue? Who would have imagined taking off with a complete stranger could change the fate of the Commonwealth forever?"

     "Not me..." Abigail said with a smile, "Now get going, Madame President."

     "Okay... Okay..." Piper whispered as she made her way out of the room, more tears falling down her cheeks.

     "I should have a word with Daisy and Fahrenheit before they take off." Hancock said after Piper disappeared from view, "I know the good people of Goodneighbor will never miss the chance to be apart of a firefight, especially when the Brotherhood's involved."

     Hancock and Abigail exchanged a small smile before Hancock follow Piper out the door, Strong wandering after him to return to his post outside of the door, leaving Preston and Abigail alone in Abigail's dimly lit chambers.

     After a few moments of silence, Preston turned to leave, pausing at the door with his fingers resting on the handles. Turning his head to look back at Abigail, he saw that she had gone back to staring out the window. His voice sounded hesitate to his own ears as he called out to her, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something, General..."

     Abigail's focus didn't leave the window as she replied, "What is it, Preston?"

     Preston's voice faltered as he crossed the room to stand beside Abigail, staring at her locks of chestnut hair cascading down her shoulders as he said, "That talk we had inside the vault... when I told you I loved you-"

     Abigail closed her eyes as she held her breath for a moment, before looking over her shoulder at her second-in-command, "Please Preston, stop. I-I just can't deal with this right now. The Brotherhood-"

     "I get that, Abigail. Believe me I do. It's just... I've wanted to tell you how I felt about you from the moment we met and I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you for the past year, but it never comes. And I'm worried that the timing is never going to be right and then I'll never know what could have been."

     "Preston..." Abigail whispered as she struggled to find the words, "I don't know what you want me to say..."

     "You don't have to say anything..." Preston's words trailed off as he gently turned Abigail to face him, "Just give me... give _us_ a chance."

     Their eyes became locked together as Preston's fingers trailed along her face, whispering, "Please, Abigail. Just for one second, push everything else out of the way and open yourself up to the idea. I know I can make you happy."

     Abigail clasped her eyes shut as if not seeing him would make the situation seem further away, somehow more manageable. She could feel him leaning closer, his breath caressing her cheeks. Seconds that seemed to last for hours passed before she felt his hesitant lips press up against hers, so strange, yet familiar at the same time. Her heart fluttered for a moment as she lost herself in the touch of the man that so reminded her of the one she had grown up with, to the one that had been taken from her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she forced herself to remember that no matter how much she wanted it, Preston couldn't replace Nate. It was meaningless to try.

     Breaking their kiss, Abigail turned away from him to stare out the window at the Brotherhood's airship in the distance. Wiping the tears from her face, she weakly whispered, "Please stop."

     "Abigail..."

     "I just can't do this right now, Preston... Please leave."

     She could hear Preston sigh in defeat behind her, before she heard his footsteps echoing through her chambers as he left, closing the door quietly behind him. Abigail felt guilty, she really did. But she had bigger things to worry about. The Brotherhood of Steel for starters, her unresolved feelings for Hancock, the fate of the Commonwealth itself, now Preston...

     Abigail closed her eyes as she rested her head against the frame of her window. Her feelings betrayed her as tears began trickling down her face.


	50. Arthur Maxson

     Arthur Maxson sat at his desk within his chambers of the Prydwen, surrounded by the airship's metal walls. The room was quiet apart from the occasional clang that echoed from the lower decks. There was a light knock on the door, Maxson narrowed his eyes at it before he barked, "Enter."

     A Knight wearing a standard orange Brotherhood jumpsuit, no older than seventeen entered a moment later. He saluted his Elder before stating, "We just received word that the Minutemen's General wishes to call a parley."

     Maxson looked up from his pile of reports, pausing a moment before leaning back into his seat. The Minutemen had had no previous interactions with the Brotherhood of Steel since their alleged general had aided the surviving members of Recon Squad Gladius fend off a horde of feral ghouls outside of the Cambridge Police Station, but then had refused to help the squad further. A passing patrol of Knights had luckily heard Scribe Haylen distress signal a few days later and assisted the squad in retrieving a transmitter from Corvega assembly plant.

     Maxson felt his eyes narrow once more as he stared up at the ceiling of his chambers, trying to recall the finer details of the report that had crossed his desk months before. Glancing back at the Knight that had delivered the Minutemen's message, he ordered, "Inform Captain Kells, Proctor Quinlan, and Paladin Danse of the Minutemen's inquiry and have them report to the observation deck at once. You are dismissed, Knight."

     As the Knight closed the door behind him, Maxson stood from his desk and walked to his private bathroom attached to his chambers. Squaring off in front of the sink, Maxson turned on the faucet. He watched the water cascade off his calloused fingers for a moment before leaning forward to splash water onto his face. A renewed energy washed over him as the cold water fell down his cheeks and gathered in his beard.

     Elder Maxson ran his fingers through his dark hair before glancing up at the mirror in front of him, only to be greeted by his own cold gaze. All evidence of the timid boy he had once been was gone, replaced by the stone faced man before him. His fingers traced along his bearded chin until they rested on the scar that began under his right eye and carved its way along his face to his lower cheek. A mark he had received the day he had entered into manhood by slaying his first deathclaw single handedly, setting him on the path he knew had always been his destiny: to become Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel. His focus lingered on his scar for a moment more before moving to met his own gaze, his icy blue eyes staring back at him.

     He would respond to the Minutemen, just as he had to all of his opponents, as the skilled tactician that he was. Turning from his reflection, Maxson made his way from his chambers and down to the observation deck a level below. Glass panels encased the room, revealing the Commonwealth's post-apocalyptic landscape beneath.

     Captain Kells was already waiting for him as Elder Maxson made his way towards the wall of windows. Kells paused to salute his Elder, before stating, "I assume you called this meeting to discuss what is to be done with the Minutemen's general."

     Maxson returned Kells' salute before turning his gaze to the Commonwealth below.  Directly below the Prydwen laid the Boston Airport illuminated under the night sky by the Prydwen's spot lights and a few lights attached to generators nestled against the sea, across the harbor's black waters laid the Minutemen's castle, it's own lights a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding it.

     Clasping his hands behind his back, Maxson replied, "You assumed correctly, Captain."

     Elder Maxson sensed rather than saw Kells stiffen beside him. Glancing over his shoulder at the captain, Maxson watched Kells change his weight from one foot to another. Lancer Captain Kells had always been cut and dry, procedure and conduct were everything to him and was one of the many reasons Maxson respected him. Kells was a man who always cut to the chase and today was no different as he stated, "The girl is most likely an Institute synth. She should be dealt with as such."

     "Do we know for certain she's a synth?"

     Kells' navy blue fatigues clung to his broad shoulders as he gave a nonchalant shrug, "There is no way of knowing for sure until Neriah has a look at her corpse."

     A silence swept over the observation deck, only broken by the murmurs of the pilots below them in the Prydwen’s command deck. His gaze returning to the Commonwealth's landscape, Maxson asked, "Do you recall the state of the Commonwealth when we first arrived?"

     "How could I forget, Elder?" Captain Kells stated, glancing at the ground below before returning his gaze to his Elder, continuing, "Civilians being chased from their homes by feral ghouls, super mutants, or worse. The fear of synths turning neighbor against neighbor. Chaos everywhere."

     "The land was in turmoil and in need of cleansing..." Maxson murmured as he stared at the soft glow across the harbor that was Fort Independence, "The Commonwealth is still a mess, but the locals have found order, without our intervention. And I believe it's because of that girl."

     Kells' voice was filled with skepticism as he replied, "That girl who is most likely a synth? Elder, that kind of order doesn't just appear without warning as she has. I've spoken to the scribes, and they can't find any trace of her beyond this year. How do we know she isn't a spy sent by the Institute to control the masses?"

     "That's ridiculous, Captain Kells."

     Elder Maxson and Captain Kells turned to watch Proctor Quinlan enter the observation deck, loaded down with arms filled with papers, Paladin Danse close behind him, his power armor making soft clanking noise with each of his oversized steps. Staring at Captain Kells from behind the rims of his glasses, Quinlan added, "Why would an Institute spy destroy the Institute?"

     Captain Kells' dark eyes sparked dangerously as he replied, "There's no evidence that the explosion from last week was the Institute."

     "Quite the contrary..." Proctor Quinlan stated once he had reached the group, pausing to adjust the papers in his arms before continuing, "Our scouts have returned from their investigation of the explosion. Most of the tech was destroyed in the blast and what chambers did survive the explosion have been flooded out, but there is evidence that a stockpile of technology was being used within the underground bunker. The place was practically an entire city hidden beneath the ruins of the former Commonwealth Institute of Technology."

     As Captain Kells opened his mouth to retort, Quinlan interrupted, "And all of the strange energy readings we have been picking up across the Commonwealth have disappeared entirely..." Turning to face Maxson, he continued, "Elder Maxson, I truly believe the Institute is gone, along with their synth technology."

     Captain Kells couldn't hide the irritation in his voice as he asked, "Even if she did destroy the Institute. Who's to say she isn't an escaped synth? There is no record of her prior to this year!"

     A soft smirk appeared on Quinlan's face as he replied, "I have quite the tale to tell you about the Minutemen's General..."

     Maxson curiosity had been piqued as he watched Proctor Quinlan rearrange the papers in his arms for a moment before holding one of them out for him. Taking the document, Maxson's blue eyes skimmed over the page that turned out to be one of the routine reconnaissance reports that were required of all Knights who had spoken to the locals of the Commonwealth. This one had been made a few months earlier and told of a man's claim of almost being replaced by an Institute synth before being rescued by two wanderers wearing tricorn hats.

     Raising a brow at the proctor, Maxson muttered, "What does this have to do with anything?"

     "Didn't read the whole thing, did you?" Quinlan replied irritably before snatching the report from Maxson's fingers, "The man was saved by a woman named Abigail, also known as the Minutemen's General, and a non feral ghoul by the name of John Hancock."

     "Yes, I met them." Paladin Danse stated from behind the proctor, "She said the ghoul was the Mayor of Goodneighbor."

     "That would be correct..." Proctor Quinlan said, turning his attention to the paladin behind him, "The report goes on to say that the man, Art, overheard Abigail talking with the ghoul about a college exam she had taken part of."

     Elder Maxson, Captain Kells, and Paladin Danse stared at Proctor Quinlan in silence as his words lingered in the air around them. A knowing smile crossed his lips as he continued, "One must ask themselves, how is that possible?"

     "Simple: she's a synth with false memories." Captain Kells replied flatly.

     Holding a finger up to Kells, Quinlan admitted, "That was my first thought as well... But I had to know for sure, so I took it upon myself to uncover all information I could about this mysterious girl, Abigail. You will not believe what I found..."

     "Enough with the suspense, Procter. Out with it." Maxson barked irritably.

     "It's true what Captain Kells said about Abigail, there is no trace of her past this year..." Quinlan paused dramatically. His gaze shifting from face to face before he said, "Until you look over 200 years into the past."

     The three men looked at the proctor with confusion. Danse's brows furrowed together as he asked, "So she's from before the war? That's impossible."

     "Of course it is! So she has to be a synth." Kells added.

     "Gentlemen..." Proctor Quinlan said with a smirk, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose before he asked, "What do you know about Vault 111?"

     A silence passed through the observation deck. Tilting his head slightly, Maxson replied, "It's no secret that Vault Tec built a vast number of vault programs across the Wastelands before the war. While many have yet to be discovered, it is believed that most were designed to run experiments on their inhabitants."

     "Another example of man's lack of restraint when it comes to technology..." Danse muttered as Proctor Quinlan's grin grew, "Very good, Elder. This particular vault was no different. It was built with the intent of observing the long term effects of cryostasis."

     "Cryostasis?" Kells asked.

     "Yes... Cryostasis. The scientists of Vault 111 wished to study how to preserve living organisms by exposing them to prolonged freezing temperatures."

     Elder Maxson turned to stare at Fort Independence in the distance, where he knew from the scouting reports that Abigail was currently held up. He could hear Kells skeptically state behind him, "That couldn't have possibly worked."

     Followed by Quinlan's smug reply, "Oh yes... Yes it did. The Commonwealth has a living, breathing prewar relic within its midsts."

     Quinlan and Kells voices became drowned out by Maxson's own thoughts as he stared down at the Minutemen Castle. When the Brotherhood had first arrived at the Commonwealth, the Minutemen were all, but extinct. Yet within the year they had been here, Abigail had brought them back from the brink and made them into a capable force once again, while at the same time bringing order to this hunk of wasteland known as the Commonwealth. Maxson recalled pulling the Brotherhood out of a similar situation when he had been appointed Elder all those years ago and now he had finally found a woman of similar stature to himself.

     "What did she do?" Maxson asked, turning to face the group. Both men ceased their bickering as they stared at their Elder, before Maxson repeated, "What was her profession?"

     Glancing down at the pile of papers in his arms, Quinlan replied, "Lawyer, sir. Graduated at the top of her class from Suffolk County School of Law in 2074 at the age of 25 and married a man by the name of Nate shortly thereafter. They had a son in 2076 and entered Vault 111 in the year of 2077, right before the first bombs hit Boston."

     The proctor patted the outside of his scribe uniform for a moment before pulling a picture from one of his jacket's many pockets. Holding it out for Maxson, Quinlan said, "Found this in the school's archives."

     Taking the picture, Maxson turned it over to see a young woman staring back at him with copper brown eyes. She had a small button nose that complimented her other soft features, long locks of chestnut brown hair cascaded down her shoulders and out of the picture's border. Her thin brows had a slight arch as she smiled up at whoever had taken the picture. Maxson became lost within the photo as he caught himself wondering what she was like. He found it hard to believe that something so beautiful could survive the war that had drove civilization back into the Dark Ages.

     Holding up the picture to Paladin Danse, Maxson asked, "Is this the women you saw?"

     "Yes, Elder." Danse promptly replied.

     Glancing down at the photo once more, Maxson asked, "And what of her husband?"

     "That would be Nate..." The proctor mused as he rifled through his documents before finally pulling one out from the stack, "Retired Army veteran who served during the Sino-American War..." Quinlan paused as he read through the paper, raising a brow as he muttered, "Saw quite a bit of combat..."

     Proctor Quinlan left the three other men waiting in silence as he finished reading before replying, "Looks like he retired a year before they went into the vault. The vault records show he was cryogenically frozen with their infant son for about 150 years before the system was tampered with."

     Glancing up from Abigail's photo, Elder Maxson asked as his brows furrowed together, "Tampered how?"

     Quinlan paused for a moment before he replied, "It's hard to know for sure, but it seems someone entered Vault 111 and pulled the three out of their cryostasis. Whatever transpired after that resulted in her husband's death and her son being taken, Abigail was returned to her cryostasis a few moments later."

     "Unbelievable..." Captain Kells breathed. Maxson stared at him for a moment in silence, he had never seen the stoic captain so distraught in the face of battle, let alone from the readings of a report about a woman he had never met.

     "How did she escape?" The elder asked, returning his attention to the proctor.

     "It's hard to tell, but it seems a remote signal overrode the system, releasing her from her cryostasis. That was about a year ago. So you see Captain Kells... It would make sense for there to be no record of her prior to this year."

     "How did she survive in the wasteland by herself? Did she have any prior military training?" Danse asked.

     Proctor Quinlan shrugged as he said, "From all the record I've found, no."

     Adjusting his captain's hat, Kells muttered, "A prewar lawyer surviving in the wastes? How is that possible?"

     "The reports said that Abigail exitted Vault 111 and set out to find her son, which she believed to have been kidnapped by the Institute." Searching through the papers once more, Quinlan added, "You'll love this, Elder... There are claims that she killed a deathclaw within hours of leaving the vault."

     "She's a fighter..." Maxson murmured to himself as he stared down at Abigail's picture once more, "Did she find her son?"

     "The reports are inconclusive, sir."

     "Elder..." Captain Kells said, pulling Maxson's attention away from Abigail's picture. "It's a sad tale, but the question still remains: how is the Brotherhood going to reply to the Minutemen's request?"

     A smile crossed Elder Maxson's lips as he turned to face the Minutemen’s castle in the distance, "They want a parley, the Brotherhood will give them a parley..."

     As the men filed out of the observation deck, Maxson stared out at the Commonwealth's landscape below him. Glancing down at Abigail's picture once more, he whispered, "I have to meet her..."


	51. A Clash Between Time and Steel

     Elder Maxson took in his surroundings as he stared over the edge of the vertibird circling over Fort Independence. The once ruined stone walls had been restored and all traces of the shellfish that had overrun its corridors had been removed. When Maxson and his fellow members of the Brotherhood of Steel had first arrived in the Commonwealth aboard the Prydwen almost a year ago, he had considered having the Brotherhood clear out the Mirelurks and mooring the airship above the historic sight, but had opted for the Boston Airport across the harbor. It had been a tactical decision, feral ghouls were easier to handle than an army of irradiated crustaceans lead by a behemoth of a Mirelurk Queen. But after watching the Minutemen restore the fort to its former glory from the safety of the Prydwen's observation deck, Maxson couldn't help but wonder if he had made the wrong decision. This general, _Abigail_ , clearly had a vision for the future and Maxson wondered what other plans she had milling in the depths of her mind.

     Maxson recalled the day the Minutemen had retaken the castle, back then there had been a mere six of them, including Abigail. Proctor Quinlan had deemed the task to be impossible for such a small fighting force equipped with nothing more than a few crank laser muskets and explosives. Paladin Danse had urged Maxson to send reinforcements as they had watched the Minutemen charge towards what the Brotherhood had deemed their imminent deaths within the fort's collapsed walls. But Maxson had held his tongue, he couldn't risk his men's lives on a fool's errand. His heart had skipped a beat when the Mirelurk Queen's screeches could be heard from within the Prydwen's metal walls. Many Knights and Paladins had lost their lives to such a foe, but that small number of Minutemen had proven victorious, lead by that prewar woman...

     Since seeing Abigail's picture and hearing her tale, Maxson could think of nothing else. He was eager to attend this parley, to see what she was like face to face. Could such a woman live up to her reputation? A smile crossed Maxson's face as he wondered if people thought the same thing about himself as he clasped his helmet onto his power armor.

     Dust clouds gathered within the fort's walls as the vertibird landed in the quartyard beside the Minutemen's radio beacon. Five Brotherhood Knights in power armor along with Paladin Danse hopped from the vertibird's deck, standing at attention until their Elder exited. Their brushed metal suits only distinguishable from their Elder's by the ranks spray painted in red on their left forearm.

     A few dozen minutemen watched them with stoic faces from the top of the surrounding walls as the Brotherhood soldiers fell into step behind their Elder as he made his way towards the doorway that lead to the interior of Fort Independence. A man with dark skin in a colonial duster stood in the doorway, staring at them from under the rim of his militia hat as he stated, "The General says you may remain in your power armor, but I have to ask you to leave your weapons here."

     Elder Maxson gave the minuteman a curt nod from behind the mask of his power armor before unstrapping his unique gatling laser from his chest and leaning it against the quartyard’s stone wall, his men following suit. Once all their weapons were nestled together, the minuteman turned on his heel, leading them into the fort's interior. Elder Maxson, Paladin Danse, and their fellow knights followed without a word, the soft clanking their power armor made with each step broke the silence as it echoed down the fort's empty corridors.

     After a few minutes, the minuteman paused outside of a pair of double doors before opening it and standing aside, allowing Elder Maxson and his men to enter. Stepping inside, Maxson saw he had enter a sort of meeting room. A wooden table, illuminated by the morning sun that seeped through the chamber's windows, stretched across almost the length of the room. A few empty chairs were placed at one end, while a woman sat at the opposite end. Maxson felt his heart skip a beat as he recognized the woman from the picture he had seen the night before, _Abigail_. A ghoul stood beside her, dressed in a red frock and tricorn hat, along with some sort of synth. Elder Maxson felt his jaw set as he stared into its yellow eyes, noting it's exposed circuitry and other mechanisms peeping through the holes in it's worn skin.

     As the rest of his men filed into the room, Abigail stood from her seat. "So glad you could join us..." A reserved smile crossed her face as she motioned herself, "I'm Abigail, General of the Commonwealth Minutemen." Changing her focus to the minuteman who had lead them, she added, "You have already met my second-in-command, Preston Garvey."

     "And Strong!" A voice bellowed from behind them. Elder Maxson caught himself reaching for his gatling laser that wasn't there as a super mutant ducked his head as he entered the room and made his way to stand behind Abigail. Maxson could feel his fellow Brothers' unease at the presence of that green thing, but now was not the time to show weakness.

     Unfastening his helmet from his power armor, the smell of the harbor's sea breeze tickled his senses as Maxson's unobscured gaze fell onto Abigail. She was just as beautiful as she had been in her picture, long locks of chestnut hair fell down her back and off her shoulders from under her tricorn hat, her soft features remained unscared from the many hazards of the wasteland. An unfamiliar feeling of nervousness lingered in the back of his mind as Maxson replied, "I'm Elder Maxson, with me is Paladin Danse and a few of my fellow Knights."

     Motioning to the ghoul and synth standing either side of her, Abigail stated, "Then I'm sure you are already aware... this is the Mayor of Goodneighbor, John Hancock. And this is one of our representatives from Diamond City, Nick Valentine."

     Staring down at the ghoul, Maxson replied, "Paladin Danse has told me of your previous interactions-"

     The ghoul interjected with a cocky grin, "You mean when we saved his sorry ass."

     "From some of your kind?" Paladin Danse spat from beside his elder.

     "Enough!" Abigail barked, taking a seat at the head of the table. "I didn't call this parley to partake in mindless bickering." A polite smile crossed her lips as she motioned to the seat across from her, "Elder Maxson, I would offer you a seat-"

     "I'm fine standing." Maxson stated as he moved to stand near the head of the table opposite of Abigail's, "What did you call this parlay for?"

     "As you wish..." Abigail muttered, lowering her hand to rest on the table between them as she continued, "To put it bluntly, Elder Maxson, the settlements of the Commonwealth have banned together and formed a government. The leader of which wants you gone."

     "Let me guess..." Maxson mused, amusement finding its way into his voice, "That leader is you?"

     Abigail's voice remained emotionless as she replied, "Our first president and the other representatives were moved into hiding for their own protection."

     The Commonwealth had formed a government with the Minutemen's help, this was a surprising turn of events. Maxson's thoughts lingered on these developments before he asked, "Then why am I not speaking with him? To your _president_?"

     A genuine smile finally appeared on Abigail's otherwise phlegmatic demeanor, "I was appointed General of the Commonwealth Minutemen by our president. _She_ has entrusted me to the task of negotiating peace and devising a counter attack if the need arises."

     Maxson couldn't help but return her smile, for reasons he wasn't quite sure of. The two stared at each other in silence until a voice called from behind him, "Peace? You call for a parlay with fucking ghouls, synths, and super mutants and expect to achieve a lasting peace with the Brotherhood? It’s clear that the Commonwealth needs us now more than ever."

     "Rhys!" Maxson barked, "Hold your tongue!"

     Abigail's soft voice commanded the room as Maxson's gaze returned to her, "Let me assure you, Elder Maxson. I chose the members of this parley with great care. If peace can be achieved between humans, synths and ghouls alike, surely the Commonwealth can make a similar peace with the Brotherhood of Steel?" Her tactics were effective, Maxson mused to himself in silence. Despite her misguided beliefs, how could he hope to devise an effective counter argument when waring groups managed to ban together to fight a common enemy, even if in this scenario their shared enemy was the Brotherhood of Steel. Abigail's voice pulled him from his trace as she asked, "You came to the Commonwealth to destroy the Institute, did you not?"

     "Yes."

     "Well you have my word that the Institute has been destroyed, along with their technology."

     Abigail's words already confirmed the reports Maxson had received of the explosion from the week before, but still he asked the question that ailed him, "And what of the synths left behind?"

     Narrowing her eyes, Abigail asked, "What about them?"

     "What are you intending to do about them?"

     "They will stay here, as citizens of the Commonwealth." Abigail replied flatly.

     "Despite this _peace_ you claim to have built..." Maxson paused as his gaze shifted from face to face, before continuing, "Flesh is flesh. Machine is machine. The two were never meant to intertwine. By attempting to play God, the Institute has taken the sanctity of human life and corrupted it beyond measure. Synths are the physical embodiment of what the Brotherhood of Steel hates most. Technology that's gone too far. Look at the scorched earth and the bones that litter the wasteland. Millions... perhaps even billions, died because science outpaced man's restraint." Maxson's eyes narrowed as Abigail became his full focus, "I'm sure you remember them calling it a 'new frontier' and 'pushing the envelope' as they completely disregarded the repercussions of their actions. Can't you see that the same thing is happening again?" Glaring into the synth's yellow eyes, Maxson spat, "You and your kind are bombs in an arsenal of thousands preparing to lay waste to what's left of mankind." Turning his focus back onto Abigail, Maxson asked, "How can you trust the word of a machine that thinks it's alive? A machine that's had its mind erased, its thoughts programmed... its very soul manufactured! They simply should not exist."

     Abigail was silent as she listened to Maxson finish. She allowed his words to linger a moment longer before answering, "Where do you draw the line between mimicking emotions and true emotions? Because with synths, one is indistinguishable from the other. I do not disagree that synths should never have been created, but they have and we need to learn to adapt. Synth genocide is unacceptable. They are human in their own right."

     Silence encapsulated the room as Maxson stared at Abigail in disbelief, "I cannot believe this. You've personally seen the damages man's technology has done to humankind... Yet you are siding with the very technology that could prove to be the world's undoing for the second time?"

     Disregarding his argument, Abigail stated as she stood from her seat, "I'm making sure that mankind is still worth saving..." Abigail paused before she continued, "I'm going to be blunt, Elder Maxson. The Brotherhood of Steel is a foreign invading power. The Commonwealth representatives have spoken and they want you gone."

     Maxson's voice soften as he asked, "Think of what man's technology has taken from you personally, Abigail. Your home. Your husband. Your _son..._ Are you willing to risk that happening to the people your order claims to protect?"

     Abigail stared Maxson down as she muttered with a voice laced with anger, "Believe whatever twisted ideals you want... At sunrise, if that fucking blimp is still blocking my view, it will be seen an act of war and we will respond accordingly."

     "And what are you going to do?" Maxson stated, motioning around the hallowed chambers of Fort Independence, "You have no air support."

     "Telling you wouldn't be a wise military tactic, would it?" A knowing smile crossed her lips as she mused, "History is filled with tales of the smaller, weaker forces overcoming the odds. Stick around and we will add another such tale to history."

     "Your courage impresses me, General..." A smile crossed his face as Maxson finished, "But it takes more then words to strike us down."

     Without another word, Elder Maxson and his fellow Brotherhood Knights filed out of the room one by one. Abigail paused as she felt a rage building inside of her. How had he know of her husband and son's fate? Were there spies within their ranks? Were their artillery plans compromised? Once the last echos created by the Brotherhood's power armor disappeared, Abigail stood to follow them out into the Castle's quartyard, her companions close behind her.

     Abigail leaned against the doorway as she watched the Brotherhood soldiers climb into their vertibird. Her gaze locking with Elder Maxson's for a moment before he clasped the helmet of his power armor over his head. Abigail wasn't sure if she had just imagined the look in his eyes as he watched her from the vertibird's deck. A cloud of dust hide them from view as the vertibird rose into the air, circling the fort once before disappearing over the castle's walls. The chopping noise made from it's blades fading as they flew further and further away.

     "Think they got the message, sunshine?" Hancock whispered into her ear as he leaned his head against her's.

     Abigail allowed herself to get lost in the comfort of his touch for a moment as she replied, "We won't know for sure until tomorrow." Turning to face him, Abigail could see Nick and Preston standing behind him. "But we are going to need a back up plan if the artillery doesn't work. Maxson's right... They are technologically superior to us."

     "We're gonna need an airforce to compete with them." Preston muttered as he shifted his weight uncomfortably.

     A smirk crossed Hancock's face as he stated, "We can swipe one of their vertibirds. Those Brotherhood pricks always have at least one grounded at the Cambridge Police Station."

     Turning to face Hancock, Preston replied sarcastically, "Yeah... Except none of us know how to fly one."

     "Just shouting out ideas, boy scout." Rolling his eyes as he muttered at Preston, "Besides I didn't hear you come up with any genius ideas."

     The men squared off in front of each other as they continued to argue, until Nick Valentine's voice chimed in, "If you boys are done..." Hancock and Preston ceased their bickering as the group turned to face Nick, "I know how to fly one."  

     "You've flown one before?" Abigail asked, cocking her head in surprise.

    The synth paused as his yellow eyes locked with Abigail's before he elaborated, "Well not exactly me. The original Nick took flying lessons, so in hindsight I should be able to fly a vertibird as long as the technology hasn't changed too drastically."

     A grin spread across Abigail's face as she exclaimed, "Nick! That's great news!" Her eyes sparkled as her gaze changed from face to face of the people she had come to trust above all others, "We'll have to swipe one then."

     Nick's smile was warm as he replied, "If I leave now, we should reach the police station by night fall."

     "Take a regiment of Minutemen with you." Abigail paused before she added, "If the Brotherhood isn't pulling out by morning's light. You are authorized to commandeer one of their vertibirds."

     "And to destroy any that remain." Preston added, "We don't need them following."

     "You got it, doll." Nick said with a smirk, tilting the brim of his fedora towards Abigail before turning to walk down the hallway and disappearing from view.

     "We can do this, General." Preston whispered as he clasped a hand around Abigail's shoulder, Hancock nodding in agreement.

     Abigail could feel a trace of hope bubble inside of her, "Yes, we can..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've been going through a bit of a dry spell in the story, but not to worry! Things are gonna start happening between Abigail and Hancock again. These past few chapters have just been too important for the plot to skip through. And you guys have been so patient! In fact... I foresee some smut in your future :P
> 
> As always, your guys' support means the world to me! I hope you guys are still enjoying!
> 
> <3 <3 <3


	52. A Night to Remember

     Hancock found Abigail in her quarters later that night, her back was facing him as she stared out the window towards the Brotherhood of Steel's airship across the harbor's dark waters. Abigail crossed her arms as a sigh escaped her lips, leaning her head against the stone wall as she said, "It's done. Messengers were sent out to all the nearby settlements. At first light, they will be listening to Radio Freedom, waiting for the signal to fire."

     "And Maxson's reign will finally come to an end." Hancock mused as he reached out a hand to touch her.

     Abigail hadn't been the same since her trip inside the Institute. Hancock understood why, but he only wished he had a way of easing her pain, to return Abigail to her former self.

     His fingers trailed along her arms as he stood behind her. Their tricorn hats brushing together as he rested his chin on her shoulder. They both stared out the window in silence until Abigail's soft voice wisped around them, "Make me forget..."

     "Sunshine...?"

     Hancock gently turned Abigail to face him, her eyes hesitantly rose to meet his. He brushed a few strands of hair from her cheek with the back of his hand as he whispered, "I will always be what you need."

     Abigail's eyes were clouded with uncertainty as they became lost in a black abyss. Hancock ran his fingers through her hair as he brought his hand to rest on her neck. Gently pulling her face closer to his, he could hear Abigail whisper her reply, "Then please, John... Make me forget. Just for tonight..."

     And that was the only invitation he needed as he brought his lips to meet hers. He could feel her stiffen as she hesitated a moment before kissing him back.

     This kiss was different from the one they had shared in Goodneighbor. Instead of hot and passionate, Abigail's kisses were timid and coy. Hancock's fingers trailed along her chest until they reached her shirt. Grabbing the fabric in his hands and pulling it over her head, their kiss was only broken for a moment as her tricorn hat and shirt fell to the floor. Picking Abigail up in his arms, he could feel her hands trace along his chest and down his arms, slipping off his shirt and frock. As his own shirt fell to the floor at his feet, Hancock pulled Abigail closer, drawing her into his kiss as his fingers unfastened her belt, pulling her pants along her soft, sun kissed skin and letting them join her other articles of clothing on the ground.

     Hancock tossed Abigail onto the bed beside them, taking a moment to admire her naked form. The usual rasp in his voice was laced with desire as he whispered, "Are you sure about this, sweetheart?"

     Abigail's reply was a breathless whisper as she stared up at him with those copper eyes, "Yes."

     Hancock was on top of her in an instant, his lips seizing hers. Nothing could keep Hancock from the thing he wanted most, and that was Abigail, to the woman he had grow to love and respect above all others. Passion continued to grow in their kiss as Hancock brought his cock to rest against the entrance to Abigail's already wet slit. Abigail gasped softly as the tip of his cock entered her. Hancock playfully nipped at Abigail's lips as he pulled his cock in and out in deliberate strokes, slow and gentle at first but then gradually increasing in speed.

     Any hesitation that remained within her had melted away as Abigail's legs wrapped around Hancock's, urging him further inside of her. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as Hancock fully submerged his cock inside of her. Abigail's eyes widened as she whispered, "John... I need..."

     Worried he had hurt her, Hancock stared down at her with concern as he asked, "Abigail? What's wrong?"

     The small smile that crossed her lips after that confused him, until he felt her tug at their intertwined legs, flipping him over as she pushed herself on top of him. Abigail's hair cascaded off one shoulder, leaving the other bare under the moonlight that had seeped it's way into her chambers. Bringing her knees to rest on either side of his hips, Abigail rode his cock as she traced her hands along her skin. Hancock watched her move over him, enamored by the way her body looked bathed in moonlight. Crossing her leg across Hancock's chest, he could feel her spin on top of him until her back was facing him. A moment later, Hancock felt her nimble fingers trail along his thighs and cup his balls. Her back arching as she continued to ride him. 

     Abigail's stare was tantalizing as she glanced over her shoulder at him. Unable to hold himself back any longer, Hancock grasped each side of Abigail's hips as he knelt behind her. Leaning forward, Hancock kisses trailed up her back and then along her shoulders. Savoring her sweet taste and the sound of her moans as he thrust himself deeper and deeper inside of her.

     Hancock couldn't hold back the moan that formed deep in his throat as he relished the touch of Abigail's fingers against his testicles. Hancock's thrusts slowed as she caressed his balls. Circling them, tantalizing them.

     Finally, when he couldn't hold back any longer, Hancock grasped his hands onto her hips and gave her pussy one final thrust, cumming inside of her. Abigail's hair whipped around her face as her back arched and a shriek escaped her lips. Her pussy clenching around his cock in spasms as her own orgasm caused her body to pulse with ecstasy.

     Time seemed to still around them as Hancock lowered himself and Abigail onto the bed. He couldn't seem to catch his breath as he collapsed beside his lover, whispering, " _ Fuck... _ "

     A satisfied smirk crossed her lips as Abigail rested her chin on his chest, "My thoughts exactly."

     The two exchanged a smile as a shimmer of copper became engulfed in a black abyss.

_      How the hell did I ever get so lucky? _ Hancock thought to himself as he nestled what was left of his nose into Abigail's chestnut hair. Soon slipping into a blissful sleep next to the woman he loved more than life itself and would always refused to give up on.


	53. Taken

     "Well look at you... I must still be dreaming."

     Hancock kissed along Abigail's neck, pausing at her shoulder. He had never before experienced a women like her and it left him feeling speechless. Hancock's fingers traced along the curves of her body, reminiscing the love making they had made. He loved her, and he was willing to spend the rest of his life proving it to her.

     Abigail's head shot up from her pillow at the sound of an approaching vertibird, getting out of bed to look out of one of the castle's windows. Hancock moved to stand beside her, marveling at how beautiful her body looked bathed in moonlight. As he bent down to grab his discarded pants, Hancock heard the sound of laser muskets firing above them.

      Hancock glanced over Abigail to look out the window to see a single vertibird in a storm of laser beams, white Brotherhood insignias shined brightly off the polished power armor of a half dozen Brotherhood knights, returning fire.

     Abigail put on her tricorn hat as she moved to grab a weapon from under the bed. It's long barrel had exposed copper wiring and various charging capacitors, metal rivets poked out of its sides. As she hosted it into her shoulder, Hancock couldn't help but notice that Abigail's rifle was almost as big as she was.

     "What?" Abigail asked when she caught Hancock staring at her.

     "That's just one hell of a gun you got there, sister."

     "Likewise." Abigail gave Hancock a smirk before continuing, "It's a modified gauss rifle. Shaw calls it: The Last Minute. I thought it was fitting."

     Their eyes locked for an instant, before Hancock, looking her up and down, chuckled, "Might wanna atleast put pants on for this one, sister."

     "If you insist." Abigail threw the gauss rifle on the bed as she put her pants on. She just managed to finish clipping her bra on when the roof shook above them.

     "What the hell?" Hancock raised his shotgun to the door, seconds before it burst open. A knight in full power armor emerged from the other side. As Hancock started to squeeze the trigger, the knight was knocked out of the room by a bluish explosion. Hancock looked behind him to see Abigail's satisfied smirk and a small amount of steam trailing off the barrel of her rifle.

     "Heads up!" She called out to him, firing at another knight through the doorway. Hancock leaned against the wall, shooting out the door in between the blasts of Abigail's gauss rifle. Until he felt something hard smack him across the face, he staggered backwards into the room as a knight hit him with the butt of his laser rifle again. The force knocking his shotgun from his grasp. That moment was all the Brotherhood needed, as they swarmed into the room. The first knight kicked Hancock to the ground, standing over him as he aimed down the sights of his rifle, another behind him aimed at Abigail, his weapon still firing.

     "Cease fire! That's her." The knight aiming at Hancock shouted as he grabbed the other's rifle, causing him to fire into the ceiling, "Our orders are to bring her alive."

     A moment of silence passed only interrupted by the hum of Abigail's charged gauss rifle as she froze, still aiming it at the knights. She weighed her options as she glanced down at Hancock on the floor.

     "If I go with you, will you call off the assault on the castle?" Her voice sounded cold and alien, even to herself. "No one else will be harmed? Including the ghoul?"

     "Abigail, what the hell are you doing?" Hancock muttered as he looked up at her in disbelief, “Waste these fucks.”

     "Hancock, please... I can't watch the man I love die in front of me. Not again." Hancock felt his heart fall as he saw the look of despair on her face. He opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off, "Damn it, Hancock! Just follow my orders."

     She looked back to the knights surrounding her, "Do we have a deal?"

     "You have my word as a Paladin of the Brotherhood of Steel: if you come with us, no harm shall be done to anyone within these walls."

     Another explosion rang out from the hallway, knocking Abigail into the wall behind her and causing her gun to fire off. It's beam passed between the knights as they staggered in place. Her limp body slid down the wall as the paladin crossed the room, kicking her rifle away from her. As he hoisted her over his shoulder, the paladin called out to his men, "Damn it, tell Rhys to cease fire!"

     "Cease fire!"

     As the knights began to file out of the room, the paladin with Abigail on his shoulder looked down at Hancock on the ground. "Now we are even, you filthy ghoul." His familiar voice was the last thing Hancock heard as the paladin kicked him across the room, knocking him unconscious.

      When Hancock awoke a few minutes later to the sound of Preston's voice calling out for Abigail, the knights were gone. Getting up to look out the window, he could see the vertibird flying across the harbor to their airship. Hancock could feel anger consuming him as he kicked the bed over.

     "Fuck!"

     Preston burst into the room a moment later, "Where's the General?"

     "Where do you think?" Hancock said with dismay as he watched the vertibird disappear under the Prydwen in the distance.

     "Did she say anything?"

     "Wha..?" Hancock stopped as he rested his head against the castle wall. _I can't watch the man I love die in front of me. Not again._ Abigail loved him and he didn't tell her. He had just let them take her. _Damn it, Hancock! Just follow my orders._

     "She wants us to follow her orders... Preston, that's it!"


	54. Inside the Belly of the Beast

     Abigail awoke in a large metal room. She was laid out on a small sofa near a wall of glass panels, a scribe's jacket draped over her. Abigail moved her hand to her aching head, that's when she noticed the handcuffs on her wrists. Scanning the room as she sat up, Abigail saw an end table at the foot of the sofa with an assortment of liquor bottles.

     A knight was standing guard on the wall across from her, watching her as she stirred. He wore a standard orange BOS uniform and had a shaved head. His prominent brow was further enhanced by the deep frown on his face. "We meet again, _General_."

     Even through the haze of her aching head, Abigail knew she recognized him. "Rhys, was it?" She looked away from him to the windows lining the wall next to her. The landscape of the Commonwealth stretched off for miles below them, and in the distance the Minutemen's Castle glowed a soft yellow in a sea of white moonlight. Abigail watched the moon's reflection in the harbor's dark waters as Rhys approached her.

     Turning his attention to the moon, Rhys said as he leered over her, "Beautiful isn't it? We have a sad story about it in the Capital Wasteland. They say the face of the moon can't look away from the destruction man's technology has reaped on the world. Can't imagine the disgust it must have when it watches you with your pet ghoul... well actually I can."

     "Is your lack of basic astronomy supposed to impress me?" Abigail muttered with annoyance, turning her attention to Rhys. "The gravitational pull between our planet and the moon caused it's core to be off center, that's why we always see the same side, idiot."

     Rhys continued as if he didn't hear her, "Don't you worry that your pet could go feral at any moment? And tell me..." Abigail stiffened as he leaned closer to ask,"Does it even have all of its... parts?"

     "Do you?" Abigail asked, looking up to watch Rhys' confused expression before punching him in his manhood. Grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the end table and pouring herself a glass. Abigail took a sip, holding her glass with two hands, as she watched Rhys groaning on the floor, "I'll have you know he went feral on me all night and pleased me in a way that no prepubescent boy like you could ever hope to achieve."

     "You little bitch." The knight spat as he got to his feet.

     "So the reports are true, the General of the Minutemen is a woman from before the war and, not only that, but _educated_..." Abigail looked over to see Elder Maxson walk into room, followed by Paladin Danse. The elder's power armor was gone, revealing his broad shoulders and bold stature, wearing instead a leather battlecoat over a black BOS uniform. His demeanor seemed to command the room as he closed the distance between them, his gaze locking onto Abigail's.

     "I would have thought you already deciphered that from our last little meeting. What changed? Did you uncover my college transcripts?"

     "I just finished rereading the most inconceivable report from one of my knights exploring the Commonwealth. It involved a traveler's tale of how he was rescued from being replaced by an Institute synth. The traveler then went on to tell of how his rescuer went to college _before_ the bombs fell and the name of his rescuer was none other than the mysterious Abigail, General of the Commonwealth Minutemen." Maxson paused, staring down at Abigail for a moment in silence before he continued, "The same woman that my scribes have had such difficulty discovering anything about... Her origins, her life before becoming General, her family... A true enigma... But as it turns out I was looking in all the wrong places. Imagine my surprise..." Looking at the knight on the ground, Maxson said with a voice that could maim, "Rhys, out!"

     "Yes, sir." The knight grunted as he hobbled out of the room, once he was gone Elder Maxson transfixed his eyes back onto Abigail. Tilting his head slightly, he mused, "Tell me, was it customary in your time to help yourself to someone else's whiskey and assault your hosts?"

     "I don't think it really matters if I offend you." Abigail scoffed as she secured the jacket over her with her elbows, taking another sip of her whiskey, "You're going to kill me either way, right?"

     "Why would I want to kill the enigma I've put so much effort into understanding?"

     Abigail let out a laugh as she replied, "To squash out the Minutemen rabble? Make the Commonwealth fall in line?"

     Elder Maxson moved to stare out the glass panels, his arms resting behind his back, "You have united the Commonwealth, a feat that we deemed near impossible when we first arrived here from the Capital Wastelands, turned the Minutemen into a competent military force, and single handedly destroyed the Institute. You were able to thrive here when most would have given up. Imagine what you could accomplish with the Brotherhood of Steel's resources?"

     Paladin Danse shifted his focus from the jacket laying over Abigail's chest to Maxson as he continued, "Even how you responded to Rhys, cool and calculating, convinces me that you would be a superb addition to the Brotherhood."

     "I don't agree with your philosophy."

     "Paladin Danse had told me of your discrepancies with your _ghoul_."

     "Has he now?" Abigail asked, looking at Danse from over her glass as she took another sip of whiskey.

     "While your affections for him are misguided. If given the chance, I think you will come to appreciate the Brotherhood." Elder Maxson continued as he turned to face her, his voice rose as he addressed her, "Think of what we could learn from each other."

     "'Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.'" Abigail paused as she took another sip, before asking,  "Tell me Elder Maxson, do you think the Brotherhood of Steel is unique? Because I can tell you right now: it isn't. There's nothing you can teach me that I haven't already read about in a history book."

     "Watch your attitude, _civilian_." Paladin Danse muttered, shifting his weight irritably.

     "It's interesting that you call me that, Danse. Seeing as I am the General of the Minutemen, appointed by the first president of the Commonwealth, making me more than a mere civilian." Abigail laughed sarcastically as she took another sip from her glass before continuing, "Do you even know what a civilian is? Or is that just what you call anyone who isn't in the Brotherhood?"

     She turned her focus away from Danse to Maxson,"It's a shame, Elder Maxson, that you don't encourage your men to learn about anything that isn't related to combat technology. No wonder even the primitive people of the Commonwealth recognize the Brotherhood of Steel for what they are: _bullies_."

     "Elder Maxson, allow me remove this insubordinate!" Abigail smiled mockingly at Danse as she scoffed, "Oh! _Insubordinate_. Such a big word, and you even used it correctly. Bravo!"

     Danse towered over her, his face red with anger as he spat, "I can't wait to return to that ruined castle and strangle that fucking ghoul with my bare hands."

     Abigail let out a sigh of relief, "So he _is_ alive?"

     Elder Maxson ceased his observation of their squabble, "Remove yourself, Paladin Danse."

     "I think you might want to hold that order until you see this." As Abigail went to stand, the jacket that had been draped over her fell to her feet, her breasts barely hidden under her black bra. Danse raised his laser rifle as she went to grab a piece of paper from her back pocket.

     "Lower your weapon, Paladin."

     Danse reluctantly lowered his rifle as Abigail said, "Found this in the Institute database." Raising the paper to Elder Maxson, she read, "Unit Generation: 3, Registration DN-407P, Code Name: Danse. Scientist's note: Uploaded with known Brotherhood of Steel personality complex and artificial memories of growing up as an orphan in the Wasteland, Synth Unit DN-407P is our first unit to successfully infiltrate the Brotherhood of Steel, allowing Institute scientists to receive daily wireless updates of enemy movement and operations."

     Silence filled the room as Abigail finished reading. Glancing up from her paper, she could see a look of disbelief on Danse's face. "Elder Maxson, you can't possibly believe...?"

     "Daily wireless updates?!" Elder Maxson voice rose with anger as he rounded on Danse, grabbing his rifle as Danse was still too shocked to react. Motioning to a knight behind him, Maxson ordered, "Remove _its_ power armor immediately! Lock this _thing_ in its chambers until I order otherwise."

     Abigail waved at Danse as two knights grabbed either side of him and escorted him out of the room, calling after him, "Sorry _Dense_! If the Institute hadn't programmed you to be such a dick, I wouldn't have said anything!"

     Abigail chuckled as she took another sip of whiskey, having trouble identifying the emotion on Elder Maxson's face as he eyed her. He told her in a low voice, "Paladin Danse was one of my top Paladins."

     "Would you have prefered me to say nothing?"

     "Quite the contrary..." Maxson mused as he poured more whiskey into Abigail's cup before pouring himself a glass, "You are proving yourself more valuable than I originally anticipated."

     To her surprise, he took a seat beside her on the sofa. Glancing down at her cuffed hands, he snapped his fingers at a nearby knight, "Keys."

     As he unlocked her cuffs and tossed them aside, Abigail felt her eyes narrow at Maxson's unexpected change of character.

     "Now tell me, Elder Maxson, did Danse tell you the question I asked him about the Brotherhood's ideology the day we met?" She asked, rubbing her sore wrists.

     "I don't recall it in any of the reports, but now I am going to have to question all information gathered by that _thing_."

     Abigail reached down for the jacket on the floor, Elder Maxson's eyes watch her curves as she leaned over to grab it. Taking a swig of his whiskey as she pulled her arms through the sleeves. "After he told me about the Brotherhood's ideology, I asked him what's to keep you from becoming the very thing your organization is trying to prevent."

     "Tell me, Abigail..." Elder Maxson said, pausing over her name, "Were you able to find your son while you were inside the Institute?"

     "Are you going to answer my question?"

     "Answer mine first." Abigail stared at Maxson, the aura around him was intimidating yes but it almost felt playful too. His blue eyes stared back at her, waiting for her reply.

     "My son is dead." She stated flatly, her eyes unyielding.

     "That's a real shame. A woman, who would take on an organization such as the Institute to save her son... Well, you would have made a fine mother."

     Whether it was the whiskey or his words, Abigail didn't know as she felt her cheeks flush. She looked away from him, determined to hide the effect his words had on her. Maxson's fingers gently brushed Abigail's hair off her right shoulder, exposing her face to his stare.

     "The Elders of the Brotherhood are trained from a young age to honor Brotherhood ideals, we know that the future of the Brotherhood's existence relies on our leadership. While our father's role is instrumental in our upbringing, a mother's role is not to be taken for granted. So to answer your question, Abigail..." Elder Maxson's hand cupped Abigail's chin, gently guiding her face to meet his. His crystal blue eyes froze her in place as she stared into them, his thumb caressing her cheek.

     His rough voice sent shivers down her spine, "You." Abigail felt herself holding her breath as he continued, "You have accomplished so much here in the Commonwealth." Maxson leaned forward, his eyes still transfixed on hers, as he whispered, "But you could be so much more... With the Brotherhood. With me. Our children would be the saviors of humanity. We would create a legacy that would be remembered throughout the ages."

    Abigail's eyes remained unmoving, hypnotized by Maxson's stare. He wanted her to mother his children, to create a legacy. Her influence would become unparalleled, she could accomplish good even further than the Commonwealth's borders. Her heart raced as she thought of the possibilities. But could she really change the Brotherhood of Steel? Abigail blinked as she realized there was only one thing she wanted more then anything Maxson could ever give her. _Hancock._ She stood and walked to the window, glancing over the harbor at the Minutemen's Castle in the distance.

     Elder Maxson stared at her intently as he waited for her to speak. Her soft voice was no more than a whisper as she spoke more to herself then to him, "'Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood...'" Abigail sighed softly before a confident smile crossed her lips as she turned to face him, "As grand as that sounds, the Brotherhood of Steel is still a military dictatorship. And I could never stand for that."

     "Even with our children as it's leaders?"

     "Even then..." Abigail whispered as she stared out the window, she could see a stray vertibird fly over the castle in the distance, "Besides, I didn't take you for someone who would be interested in a ghoul's sloppy seconds."

     She watched Elder Maxson stand from the sofa, his stare turned cold as he said, "You had so much potential... Such a disappointment."

     He motioned to the knight near the door, "Take her to my chambers and send out a message to the castle demanding the Minutemen's unconditional surrender."

     "Fucking excuse me?" Abigail spat as her gaze shot over to stare at Maxson in disbelief, "Your chambers?"

     Elder Maxson turned to face her, his stare cutting through her as he stated simply, "To the victor, go the spoils."


	55. Knight In Shining Armor

     Abigail yanked on the handle leading out of Maxson's chambers. Honestly, she didn't know why she even bothered. The Brotherhood knight that had thrown her in here had locked the door and there was no reason that it would magically be unlocked after all her desperate attempts to open it. The knight was probably standing guard on the other side, laughing at her failed attempts to pry the door open.

     Abigail screamed with frustration, pounding her fists against the steel before turning her back to it. Leaning her head against the cold metal, Abigail sighed in despair as she brought her cuffed hands to her face. Closing her eyes for a moment as her thoughts began to race. If Hancock had relayed her message to Preston, the Minutemen should have stuck to the plan, meaning she had mere hours to plan and execute an escape before the Prydwen would become reduced to a pile of smoking rubble. Sliding down the wall, Abigail had to ask herself:  _ did she even want to bother trying to escape? _ Emotions Abigail had thought she had already faced and conquered began to resurface around her. Her husband was dead. She had murdered their son and blown up how many more? Abigail's consciousness became engulfed in a storm of despair. The faces of the men and women she had killed swirled around her. Their expressions painted in anger as they glared at her, accusing her, mocking her. The scene felt as if it might drag her into madness until one by one the faces began to fade into the darkness of her subconscious until a single face remained and became her mind's sole focus:  _ Hancock _ . 

     Hancock would never give up on her, so neither should she. A stillness filled her as Abigail realized she desperately wanted to live. She wanted to see the man she loved once more.

     Abigail's eyes shot open with new purpose as she skimmed the room for something, anything that could help her escape. Rising to her feet, Abigail saw a single desk in the center of the room. The surface of the desk was covered in Brotherhood reports and other documents, along with a single bottle of vodka, Abigail skimmed over the papers. When she found nothing useful, she began going through the drawers. She needed to find a weapon or atleast a damn bobby pin, but she found neither. The top drawers only held more documents, while the bottom revealed a couple bottles of purified water, more papers, and a few pens.

_      This can't be it... _ Abigail thought to herself with desperation as she felt along the back of the drawer. A twinge of hope tugged at her heart as her fingers closed around something cold. A weapon? But Abigail pulled the item out only to reveal it to be a mere flip lighter. Turning the gold trinket over in her hands, Abigail could see an engraving carved into its side. Her gaze lingered on it's familiar words as she read:  _ Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all. _ Abigail paused a moment to try to recall the origin of the quote before slipping it into her pocket.

     Moving her attention from the desk to the bed against the wall, Abigail traced her fingers under it's frame as she searched for a hidden weapon. When she turned up with nothing, she began to search through the nightstand and dressers. There had to be something that could help her... Abigail growled with frustration when all she found were various articles of Maxson's clothing. Tossing them across the room, Abigail's gaze shot along the length of the room, pausing at the doorway leading to Maxson's private bathroom that she already knew held nothing useful, before glancing up. A series of pipes and ductwork lined the metal ceiling, Abigail's heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell onto a vent above her.

     Pulling the bed under the vent, Abigail climbed on top of it to get a closer look. Even with the extra height provided by the bed, Abigail could barely hold her hands flat against it. A cold breeze drifted through the vent as Abigail rested her hands against it, her head lost in thought. Even if she wasn't handcuffed, there's no way she could hoist herself up there, let alone fit. The duct wasn't even the width of her shoulders.

     But Abigail knew she couldn't give up. A plan began to take form in the back of her mind. She glanced around the room as the thought hit her: if there's one vent blowing air in, surely there was another pulling air out? After a moment of searching, her gaze found it at the other end of the room. Abigail hopped off the bed as she began to cross the room. Dragging her hands along the top of the desk as she passed, papers fell onto the floor as Abigail moved the desk to rest under the other vent. Picking up the chair beside her, Abigail struggled to climb on top of the desk, but once she had managed and regained her balance, Abigail stared up at the vent above her for a moment. Pausing before sharply inhaling, she swung the chair in her hands as hard as she could, smacking it's leg against the vent over and over with all her might. The loud clangs caused by Abigail's attempts to knock the vent's face off echoed throughout the chamber. In the back of her mind, Abigail was concerned that the knight outside would open the door and discover her. But after the racket she had made in her initial attempt against the door, hopefully the knight would chaulk up this extra noise to another failed escape. A small  _ ching _ drew Abigail's attention as she looked up just in time to watch the vent cover fall to the floor below.

     A smile grew across Abigail's face at her small victory. But the bigger problem still remained: how was she going to escape? Abigail glanced at the door beside her. If she couldn't open the door from inside, she needed to convince someone  _ outside _ to open it for her. Tossing the chair aside, Abigail grabbed handfuls of papers and clothing from the floor and began shoving them into the newly opened duct.

     Once she was satisfied with the contents of the duct, Abigail pulled the lighter from her pocket. She stared at it's engraving for another moment before flicking it on. Holding a wadded up paper above the lighter.

     Abigail paused as she watched the flames run across the paper in her hand. Her plan was stupid, Abigail knew that, but she was out of options and had to do something now if she was going to hold on to any hope of escaping before the artillery strike.

     "Here's to a hail Mary..." Abigail whispered as she tossed the lit ball of paper into the duct. The faint glow caused by it's small flame grew in intensity as the papers within caught on fire. Grabbing the pillow from Maxson's bed, Abigail shoved it into the vent to prevent what smoke she could from seeping into the room. It wasn't long before the smoke had traveled throughout the Prydwen's ventilation system and came into the room from the other duct.

     Grabbing one of Maxson's shirts from the floor, Abigail poured the contains of one of the water bottles over it before holding the wet cloth over her nose and mouth, her other hand clasped around one of the pens she had found. Abigail could hear a commotion on the other side of the door as she knelt behind it. Even though only minutes passed, Abigail could have sworn it took hours before a soft  _ clank  _ came from the other side of the door.

     Abigail's heart raced as she watched the door open, only waiting until it was just wide enough to fit through before slamming against it with all of her might. She must have caught whoever was on the other side by surprise as a disgruntled shout reached her ears, followed by something hitting the ground. 

     Darting around the door, Abigail attempted to make her way down the ladder that lead to the observation deck. But before she could reach it, Abigail felt something grab ahold of her jacket halting her escape. Without looking Abigail spun in place, plunging the pen in her hand into whatever or whoever was holding her. A scream reached her ears as Abigail watched her makeshift weapon pierce the chest of the Brotherhood knight that was holding her, a boy who looked no older than seventeen. Another voice called from behind her, "She's loose!"

     Abigail froze in place as her eyes became locked with the knight's. His eyes widened in shock as his gaze moved down to stare at the pen protruding from his chest, a small stream of blood trickling down his olive green uniform. Abigail's hands were shaking as she released her hold on the thin piece of metal, taking a step back before the knight fell to his knees. Tears fell down her cheeks as she turned to climb down the ladder, but a crowd had already formed around them. Abigail glanced around in a panic as she tried to find another means to escape but was caught off guard when another set of arms grabbed her from behind.

     "Now where do you think you’re going?" She could hear Maxson whisper over her shoulder as she attempted to free herself from his hold. Spinning her around to face him as Abigail continued to kick in his grasp, Maxson mused as he towered over her, "I'm glad to see you still have some fight in you... You're going to need it."

     Hoisting Abigail over his shoulder, Maxson began to carry her back towards his chambers. Glancing down at the knight on the ground, Maxson barked to the crowd idling watching them, "Get him to the infirmary!" Two nearby scribes came forward, lifting the knight to his feet before leading him down the metal corridor. Maxson didn't look back as a few knights followed him through the doorway into his chambers.

     "Aren't you the resourceful one?" Maxson chuckled as he glanced up at the opened duct before barking to one of his knights, "Put it out."

     The knight grabbed the bottle of water from the ground along with a few articles of clothing before climbing on top of the desk. He pulled out the pillow to reveal the fire Abigail had built. It's flame had already grown weaker as the knight poured water over it before smothering it out with the cloth. Abigail's fire was out within minutes of Maxson finding it.

     "Out!" Maxson ordered once the knight had finished his task. His men obediently filed out of the room, one by one, closing the door behind them.

     "Did you really think you could just walk out of here?" Maxson's voice echoed off the walls as he carried Abigail still kicking towards the bed before tossing her onto it. Maxson held her down as he leered over her, "This airship is hundreds of feet into the air. Even if you managed to fight your way to the flight deck, what was your plan then?"

     Abigail remained silent, her eyes darting around the room in search of something she could use against the man above her. The smoke began to clear from the room as Maxson whispered, "No one's coming..."

     Maxson pinned Abigail to the bed with his knee as he slipped his battlecoat from his shoulders and tossed it onto the bed frame beside them. Abigail managed to kick his knee off of her as she continued her attempts to squirm out of his grasp. Breaking his hold for a second before he grabbed her cuffed hands and pulled her closer to him. 

     "Why are you fighting this?" Maxson whispered, his fingers making their way along her collar bone, parting her jacket to reveal her almost bare chest. "We can build a legacy unlike any other. Right here... Right now." He paused as he stared down at her with a hunger that evoked a raw terror in Abigail's core. She could feel his breath on her, making her skin feel as if it wanted to crawl off of her body.

     Parting her legs and pulling Abigail closer to him, Maxson's voice rose as he told her, "Fight it all you want... You're mine now."

     Abigail's heart raced as her fear was replaced by a blinding rage. She could hear the door burst open as she screamed, "Get the fuck off of me!"

     The moment Maxson glanced up at the door was all she needed as she kicked him off of her, darting behind him before throwing her cuffed wrists over his head. Abigail laced her fingers around the links of her handcuffs as she pulled the chain across Maxson's neck. She could feel him choking as he struggled for breath. His limbs lashed out at her as she kicked his legs out from under him, knocking them both to the ground.

     Abigail could heard approaching footsteps from the opened door, but she didn't care. No matter how many Brotherhood knights stormed into the room, she would refuse to let go until either her or Maxson was dead. Abigail couldn't believe her ears when she heard a raspy voice call to her, "Sunshine..."

     Abigail's head jerked up to see Hancock with his shotgun raised at Maxson's chest. Two Minutemen in complete suits of T-45 power armor stood on either side of the door. A blue beam shot out of one's gauss rifle at a Brotherhood knight through the doorway, while another held his minigun at the ready.

     "Don't touch him!" Abigail screamed as she tightened her hold on Maxson's neck. A wildness shown behind her copper brown eyes as she whispered into the dying man's ear, "I want the ghoul's face to be the last thing you see as you leave this world..."

     Maxson grabbed at her face as the last of his strength left him. A laugh escaped Abigail's lips as Maxson's body stilled, "You failed... You hear me, you worthless fuck? Your legacy dies here with you..."

     "Abigail..." Hancock whispered as he knelt beside her. His hands moved to hold her as Abigail continued to pull the chain across Maxson's neck, "He's dead, sweetheart. You can let go..."

     "Hancock?" Abigail asked weakly. Her eyes gazed up at him as if he were a million miles away, "What are you doing here? I told you... to follow my orders."

     "One of the many perks of being the mayor, sweetheart..." Hancock grinned as he helped Abigail to her feet, "I don't have to be good at following orders."

     Hancock and Abigail stared at each other for a moment that drowned out the firefight around them before a smile slowly crossed her lips. A smile that thawed her numbness at the events that had just transpired and rooted her to the man beside her.

     "If you two are done, we should really get the hell out of here!" Preston's muffled voice called over to them through his power armor before his voice was drowned out by the hum of the other Minuteman's minigun as he peppered the metal hallway with bullets.

     Glancing down at the woman beside him, Hancock told Abigail as he wrapped his arm around her, "You heard the boyscout, sunshine. Let's get you out of here."

     "Wait..." Abigail whispered as she grabbed Maxson's battlecoat from it's resting place on the bed frame. Hancock and Abigail locked eyes before Hancock chuckled, "Kleos, eh?"

     "Kleos." Abigail whispered back as Hancock picked her up in his arms and carried her towards the doorway.

     "We got the General! Let's wrap it up!" Preston called out, making his way through the doorway. "You're clear to go, Hancock."

     "Hang tight, sweetheart." Hancock whispered as he carried Abigail through the doorway and down the shaft that lead to the flight deck. Gunfire echoed down the hallways as they passed a few Minutemen in the lower decks, they filed behind them as they made their way through the Prydwen. Once the group had made their way to the flight deck, Hancock hoisted Abigail into one of the waiting vertibirds only to be greeted by a familiar voice, "Good to see you again, doll. Better strap yourself in."

     Abigail glanced up to see a familiar pair of yellow eyes looking back at her from the vertibird's cockpit. Hancock climbed into the seat next to her, followed by Preston and the rest of the Minutemen.

     "All aboard?" The synth asked as the vertibird's engine sprang to life.

     "We are good to go, Nick!" Preston called, firing his gauss rifle at a few knights who had emerged from within the Brotherhood's airship.

     The horizon around them glowed pink against the Commonwealth’s dark landscape, marking the sun's soon arrival. Abigail's heart skipped a beat as the vertibird felt as if it free fell for a moment before it's propellers suspended it in the air. Abigail could hear Nick relay through the vertibird's radio as they made their way across the Boston harbor, "We have the General! Proceed with the artillery strike."

     The radio was silent for a moment before the Radio Freedom announcer called over the radio, "You heard the man! Deliberate Phoenix! Code Blue! On my mark!" The surrounding noise faded away as the group stared in silence at the radio as the voice counted down, "5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Fire!"

     The surrounding coast line seemed to light up beneath them as the distant settlements fired off their artillery into the sky above. The projectiles' whistles growing in strength until one by one they struck the Brotherhood's airship, sending off a chain reaction of explosions within the Prydwen's metal walls.

     "Abigail..." Hancock's raspy voice was hard to make out through the symphony of explosions behind them. His hand cupped her face, forcing her gaze to met his as he whispered, "Are you hurt?"

     Abigail hesitantly shook her head. Hancock sighed with relief before resting his forehead against hers, "I'd do anything for you, sweetheart... I need you like I need the air I breathe."

     A tear trickled down Abigail's cheek as she whispered back, "And I love you, John Hancock."

     Abigail could feel Hancock's lips against hers as the first of the sun's rays shown over the horizon, marking a new day for Commonwealth full of promise. Abigail found herself kissing him back with a passion that grew as the wind whipped around them and the Prydwen, one of the Brotherhood's greatest achievements, was reduced to ashes in a giant explosion beneath them.


	56. Happily Ever After

     Abigail glanced up from the diagram she had been working on. The post apocalyptic harbor laid out before her as she leaned against one of the artillery stations on the Castle's walls, her pad of paper resting against her knees. The wrecked Prydwen still smoked slightly in the distance even though the blimp had met its fate weeks earlier. The cold sea breeze tickled her nose as it swept a few strands of hair across her face. Wrapping her newly acquired battle coat tighter around herself, Abigail returned her attention to the paper before her.

     A smile crossed Abigail's face when she heard the sound of familiar footsteps approaching her.  _ Hancock...  _ She could recognize the sound of his swag a mile away. Her voice was playful as she called out to him, "You know... It's impossible to keep a secret from the General of the Commonwealth Minutemen..." 

     Hancock paused as he stood above her, replying with an impish grin, "Hope you're not referring to me..." His smile grew as he added, "By the way... Love the coat."

     A grin spread across her face as she chuckled, "It's surprisingly light..." Abigail paused as she stared up at Hancock, setting her pad of paper down beside her, "I talked to Virgil and he told me everything..." 

     There was a brief silence as Abigail stood and turned to face Hancock. A knowing smile crossed her lips as she whispered, "Looks like I'm finally going to find out what you used to look like."

     Hancock's eyes widened as he fell onto his knees before her, reaching out his hand to rest on her flat stomach. His usual cocky grin spread along his face as he asked in a dazed voice, "You mean...?"

     Tears streamed down Abigail's cheeks as she nodded her head. Hancock kissed her stomach before locking eyes with Abigail's. A black abyss consumed in a shimmer of copper. Hancock had no idea what he had done to deserve this kind of happiness, but he was ready to spend the rest of his life proving that he was worthy.

     "Marry me."

     Hancock could see shock cross Abigail's face before she gasped, "What?"

     Hancock's grin grew wider as he replied, "You heard me, sunshine. Isn't it obvious? You're my world and it's about time we made it official."

     Glancing over towards the ruins across the harbor, Abigail whispered, "Hancock, you already know I've fallen madly and irreversibly in love with you..."

     Hancock's smile faltered as he asked, "So what's your answer, sweetheart?"

     Abigail's gaze snapped back to met Hancock's stare. A smile crossing her lips as she yelled, "Yes! A million times yes! I will marry you, John Hancock!"

     A cocky grin spread across his face as he laughed, "Wouldn't expect that kind of lapse in judgement coming from you..." Hancock stood, his raspy voice almost a purr as he added, "But I guess that works out for me then, doesn't it?"

     Locking hands with Abigail, Hancock smiled down at their intertwined fingers before glancing up into Abigail's copper brown eyes. His voice sounded hesitate as he asked, "You sure you wanna to wake up to this mug every morning? Never wish that on anyone I cared for." 

     Bringing her fingers to trail along his cheek, Abigail soft voice lingered on the air between them as she whispered, "I haven't been so sure of something in a very long time."

     "Then there's no time to waste..." Turning to look over the edge of the fort's wall, Hancock could see Piper talking to one of the Minutemen's messengers below as he yelled, "Oy, Piper! Does the President of the Commonwealth have the power to ordain?"

     Glancing up at Hancock and Abigail above her, Piper called back, "Uhhhh... like to marry people? I don't know... yes?"

     "Well I'm gonna need you to marry me and Abigail!"

     Abigail and Hancock could barely hear Piper's reply as she muttered, "I'll put it on my calendar..."

     Glancing around the fort, Hancock could see small groups of Minutemen dotting the courtyard and along the fort's walls. His eyes locked onto the town bell a few paces away. Hancock ran over to it before grasping it's rope in his hand and ringing the bell over and over until every pair of eyes within hearing distances was staring at him. As the bell's last echoes bounced off the stone walls, Hancock leaned over the fort wall, bellowing, "Hey! You sorry saps! I'm getting married! And I need some witnesses!"

     "Oh... you mean right now..." Piper added as everyone within the castle's walls stared over at them with curiosity, "Why am I not surprised?"

     Hancock's voice echoed throughout the castle's courtyard as he replied with a cocky grin, "We gotta get this done before she comes to her senses and tries to back out!"

     Returning to Abigail's side, Hancock grinned as he rifled through his pockets, "I know it's customary for wedding bands in your time to be made of some sort of precious metal. But I wanted ours to be made out of something more precious than gold..." Pulling out two silver rings from his pocket, Hancock continued, "I melted down the barrel of my old shotgun to make these. It's only right that I give you a piece of myself, as you have for me."

     "John..." Abigail's voice trailed off as she whispered, "They're perfect..."

     Abigail and Hancock smiled at each other before turning to meet Piper at the top of the stairs. A crowd had already gathered beneath them. A skeptical look was planted on Piper's face as she asked, "You sure you wanna do this, Blue?"

     A grin spread across Abigail's face as she exclaimed, "Piper! Of course!"

     "A shotgun wedding it is then..." Piper muttered as she changed focus from Abigail to the crowd below.

     "Wait..." Hancock chuckled, glancing between them as he asked, "You told her before me?"

     "Uhhhh... Duh!" Piper replied as she rolled her eyes, "Best friends and all..."

     Piper waited for the last of the stragglers to arrive before addressing the crowd, "Okay folks! We are gathered here today for this very short notice, not well thought out decision-"

     "Get to the good part, sister."

     "Hey!" Piper whined as she turned to Hancock, "You can't rush perfection!"

     A laugh escaped Abigail's lips as Hancock muttered, "This is far from perfect, Piper..."

     "Hancock..." Piper whispered with sarcasm, "You have such a talent for making a girl feel wanted."

     "Piper..." Abigail growled playfully. The two girl's exchanged glances before Piper muttered, "Okay... Okay... Like I was saying, we are gathered here today to bare witness to the unity between this woman and this... ghoul?"

     Abigail and Hancock stared at Piper along with the crowd in silence. Piper glanced around before coughing uncomfortably, "Yeah, this speech would have been better if I had been given more of a heads up... Blue?"

     When neither one answered, Piper continued, "Alrighty, tough crowd... Anyways we are gathered here for a wedding of sorts. So let's get right to it, shall we?"

     Turning to face Abigail, Piper asked, "Blue, do you take this ghoul to be your lawfully wedded husband, even though he's an egotistical hothead-"

     A smile cracked along Abigail's face as she rolled her eyes. Slipping Hancock's ring onto his finger as she interjected, "Piper... Yes!"

     "Okay okay... and Mayor, do you take this unbelievably awesome prewar relic to be your lawfully wedded wife? "

     Hancock's dark eyes seemed to melt Abigail to her core. Slipping her ring onto her finger as he said with a breathless whisper, "Hell yes."

     "Of course you would..." Piper muttered, "She's way out of your league-"

     "Piper!" Abigail laughed, "You're stealing the moment..."

     "Okay okay..." Piper said with a grin, motioning to the crowd as she continued, "Well then, by the power vested in me and in front of all these witnesses, I hereby declare you husband and wife! You can kiss the bride and all that jazz..."

     "Don't have to tell me twice..." Hancock playfully growled as his lips found Abigail's. A heat burned between them as their kiss deepened. It wasn't long before they heard Piper scoff, "Jeez guys! Keep it G-rated! You're still in public!"

     But Hancock and Abigail didn't care, their kiss was filled with passion at the prospect of their futures becoming ever more intertwined. Pausing from their kiss, Hancock rested his forehead against Abigail's as he became lost in those copper brown eyes. A smirk growing across his face as he whispered, "Moments like this... I know all that karma stuff is bull. Because no one like me should ever be this lucky."

     Abigail and Hancock exchanged a smile. This moment was perfect and it would set the foundation for the years to come. Abigail gasped in surprise as Hancock picked her up in his arms, turning to face the crowd as he announced, "Now if you will excuse us... We have a marriage to consumate!"

     The crowd broke out into cheers as Hancock nestled what was left of his nose into Abigail's hair, whispering into her ear, "Come on, love. Let's get this freakshow on the road..."

     Abigail laughed as Hancock carried her down the steps of the Minutemen Castle towards her chambers within. The crowd parted before them as they continued to cheer. The sunlight sparkled around them, it's shimmer almost as bright as their future and the fate of the Commonwealth to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One final chapter left! Are you guys ready for this?!!   
> And as always, comments and kudos are always appreciated but never required.
> 
> Enjoy!!! <3 <3 <3


	57. What Comes After Happily Ever After

     At first there was nothing but darkness. Then a single light overhead, growing and growing as it consumed his vision. Muffled voices that were hard to make out echoed around him until he heard, "He's fading... We can't let the General down!"

     And then there was pain. Gasping he tried to fight them off, but he didn't know where he was or what was going on. A single name left his lips as Nate fell unconscious, "Abigail..."

     Nate awoke some time later in his and Abigail's room. Or atleast what had been their room. Nate could feel his brow wrinkle in confusion as he stared at the massive holes in the walls and the ruined furniture. Then the memories started to resurface. The war... The bombs... Vaultec... _Shaun_... Nate's heart raced as he called out, "Abigail?"

     But no answer came. Jumping out of the bed and making his way down the hallway, Nate continued to call for Abigail until he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes falling onto the figure of a man sitting on his ruined red sofa in the living room. Or what looked like _had_ been a man at one point. The stranger wore what looked like a colonial red frock with an American flag tied around his waist as a makeshift sash, his skin was wrinkled as if it was burned and ready to melt away from his flesh. A tricorn hat hid his face as the stranger brought a lit cigarette to his lips.

     "What the fuck are you?" Nate spat, "Where the hell is my wife?"

     A cocky grin spread across the man's face before he leaned his head back to emit a cloud of smoke. His raspy voice lingered in the air between them as he replied, "Yeah... most folks have that reaction when they see a ghoul for the first time. Radiation's a bitch by the way... Name's Hancock. John Hancock."

     But Nate didn't care who the fuck this stranger was. All his thoughts remained on Abigail and his son. Where the hell were they? What the hell was going on?

     "Where is my wife?" Nate growled as he slowly advanced on this so called _Hancock_.

     "Before I can answer that. I'm gonna have to give you some prologue..."

     Nate's eyes darted around the room. There wasn't a weapon in sight, but if a fight proved to be inevitable, Nate knew his hand to hand skills were top notch. He would find Abigail and his son, even if he had to beat the answers out of this _ghoul_.

     "Better start talking then..."

     As Hancock opened his mouth to speak, the front door of the house burst open as a young women entered. Light brown skin shown under a red trench coat that clung to her slender frame. Dark brown eyes sparkled from under her curly brown hair that she kept in a loose fro held at bay by a news press cap. She gave a small shriek when her eyes fell onto Nate before exclaiming, "You must be Nate! I've heard so much about you! You just have to let me interview you!"

     Caught off guard by the women's rambling, Nate remained silent as he watched a man appear behind her. The man was wearing a worn colonial duster and had dark skin, a few white hairs peppered his short dark hair that could be seen under his militia hat. A reluctant smile crossed his lips as he gently pulled the women towards him, whispering, "The man's been through alot, Kim. Run home and tell your mom I'm gonna be late tonight."

     "But dad!" The girl whined as she allowed herself to be steered towards the door, "This interview is going to be the perfect follow up story for mom's article: The View from the Vault!"

     "It's going to have to wait, kiddo." The man replied as he guided her outside.

     "But dad!" Kim whined as he closed the door on her. The girl tapped against it for a few moments before her voice trailed off as she left.

     "I'm sorry about my daughter..." The man said as he turned to face Nate. Extending a gloved hand, he added, "Preston Garvey, General of the Commonwealth Minutemen."

     Nate stared at Preston's hand between them before he spat, "You think I give a shit who you are? Where is my damn wife?!"

     "You didn't tell him?" Preston asked, turning his focus on the ghoul still sitting on the sofa.

     "We got interrupted by your noisy daughter, boy scout." Hancock muttered as he flicked ashes from his cigarette. He took another drag before putting it out in his hand. As the smoke escaped his lips, Hancock stood from the sofa, "Preston served under your wife when she was General of the Commonwealth Minutemen."

     "Abigail... was a general?" Nate breathed as a small smile crossed his lips. He always knew Abigail was a fighter... but right now he just wished they would give him the answers he was looking for.

     "You and your wife had been cryogenically frozen for over 200 years. Abigail awoke here thirty years ago, alone and confused. You had been shot in the heart by your son's abductors and the only thing keeping your body from rotting away was the cryogenic stasis that Vaultec pod provided you..." Preston's voice sounded as if it pained him as he continued, "Abigail rescued me and a group of settlers outside of Concord. Your wife... she's an amazing fighter. Fearless... Killed a deathclaw single handedly just hours after awakening here in the Commonwealth."

     "Deathclaw?" Nate reeled through a swarm of questions in his head. Had it truly been two centuries since the bombs fell? Abigail had been trapped here alone for thirty years? Is that why no one had told him where she was? Was that long enough for her to not love him anymore?

     "It's a giant irradiated lizard. A real problem for the populace of post apocalyptic America..." The ghoul mused as he threw his hands behind his head, crossing the room to stand beside them. "Abigail has killed quite a few of those beasts over the years. Made it look like child's play. Said she learned to shoot from you."

     Nate couldn't hide his growing irritation as he stated, "That doesn't tell me where she is!"

     "Let the boy scout finish the prologue first..."

     "That's enough, Hancock..." Preston yelled, giving Hancock a glare before continuing, "Abigail became a pillar in our community. She liberated settlements from raiders and taught us that there was more to life than just surviving... Abigail built order out of chaos."

     "Yes..." Nate cut in, "I've known Abigail my entire life. I know what kind of woman she is. None of this surprises me. She is the strongest, kindest person I have ever known... How else do you think I fell in love with her? Now where is she?"

     Both men were silent for a moment that seemed to drag on for an eternity. Hancock placed a hand on Nate's shoulder as he whispered, "I'm so sorry to tell you this, Nate. But Abigail was killed... Four years ago."

     Nate felt the room swirling around him. Holding his hand against the wall to steady his balance, he whispered, "How?"

     "Super mutant suicider."

     Nate could feel a rage begin to burn inside of him as he rounded on Hancock, "What the hell is a super mutant?"

     As if on cue, the door opened and a giant figure ducked his head to enter. The figure appeared to be a massive green man, his voice was a deep growl as he stated, "Strong wishes to meet human who taught ABE-gale to fight!"

    A young man entered after the super mutant. What sunlight that managed to enter the room shined off his blonde hair as he told the super mutant, "Strong... I told you we have to wait."

     "Speak of the devil..." Hancock chuckled as he indicated towards the green giant, "Nate, _this_ is a super mutant..."

     Taking a step forward, Preston said as he motioned to the blonde, "Nate, I'd like you to meet Abigail's son."

     Nate's anger was doused for a moment as he allowed himself to hope, "Shaun?"

     "No..." Preston's voice was filled with pity as he muttered, "I'm sorry this isn't going how we had planned at all..."

     A cocky grin crossed the blonde's face as he extended a hand towards him, "Name's Nate. I take it you're the man I got my namesake from?"

     Nate knew in his heart that this man was Abigail's son as her copper brown eyes sparkled dangerously back at him under the man's wind blown hair. Taking the man's hand, Nate's voice was barely more than a whisper as he stared back at the man with his wife's eyes, "Then who...?"

     Hancock's raspy voice chilled Nate to his core as he replied, "Me, Nate. Abigail got remarried to me."

     A stillness traveled through the room as Nate stared the ghoul down before yelling, "You son of a bitch!"

     Before the ghoul could react, Nate had already struck him across the face. Advancing on him as Hancock stumbled backwards. Nate could feel a rage bubbling over inside of him at the thought of his wife with another man, let alone this cocky bastard. Hands grabbed at Nate from all angles, trying to hold him back, but Nate's reflexes had been thoroughly trained into him. He dodged and weaved his way through them without another thought, strangling this ghoul with his bare hands was his mind's sole focus. Just as his fingers closed around Hancock's neck, Nate felt a force knock into him. Losing his grip on the ghoul, Nate turned to face his new challenger, catching sight of a gold shimmer before he and the other Nate started grappling. Each trying to force the other into submission.

     "Get off him, Nate!" A woman's voice called from behind him. Her hand appearing over the blonde's shoulder,"Dad would have done the same thing if he was in his position!"

     Nate couldn't believe his eyes as he looked up to identify the voice of the newcomer. There, pulling the other Nate off of him, was... _Abigail_. As if appearing from the photo that Nate had kept in his back pocket throughout all of his deployments during the Sino-American War.

     Nate's voice was a breathless whisper as time seemed to slow around them, "Abigail...?"

     "No... sorry." The girl whispered, biting her lip as she broke eye contact with him. Her long chestnut hair falling along her face, hiding her soft features from view. Nate could feel his heart race with confusion as she hesitantly raised her gaze to meet his. Nate became lost in her copper brown eyes as she told him, "I'm her daughter, Nora."

     Nate could feel his heart sink as Preston's voice barked, "Everybody out!"

     Nora grabbed her brother by the arm and lead him out of the house, Strong close behind them, leaving Preston and Nate alone with Hancock.

     "She could have waited for me..." Nate said to no one in particular, staring off after Nora.

    "Believe me..." Preston replied, taking a step towards him, "She wanted to, but the Commonwealth needed her-"

    "NO!" Nate spat, turning to glare at Hancock, " _He_ needed her!"

     "It's true..." Hancock admitted as he straightened himself up, rubbing the spot on his jaw where Nate had struck him. Hancock paused as he brushed off his red frock before he continued, "She refroze herself and wanted to wait to be thawed out until you could be saved."

     Hancock's voice rose with conviction as he told him, "But without Abigail, that day was never going to come! Neither of you would have ever awoken! Did you really want to risk Abigail waking up alone all over again?"

     Nate and Hancock stared at each other in silence, the enmity between them growing  in intensity. Turning to pick something up off of the sofa, Hancock's raspy voice filled the room once more, "I know this is hard to hear. If I was in your position I'd be mad as hell too. But you have to understand, Abigail was lost and she needed something to keep her going."

     Nate's voice was laced with acid as he spat, "And you just couldn't help yourself."

     Hancock's eyes sparked dangerously as he squared off in front of Nate, "Let me make something perfectly clear: I love her. And don't stand there and tell me you could have just watched her walk through hell without offering your support."

     The ghoul extended a hand out to Nate, offering him the wrapped cloth. Taking and turning it over in his hands, Nate unfolded it to find a Pip-boy, a necklace with his and Abigail's wedding bands, and a single piece of paper. Nate felt a hand clasp around his shoulder, he looked up to see Hancock staring back at him, "Hopefully these will give you the answers you're looking for..."

     Nate could hear Preston state from behind him, "We'll give you some privacy." Before they both filed out of the room. After a few moments of silence, Nate walked to the front door, opening it and staring out at his post apocalyptic neighborhood. Taking a seat at the stoop of his front door. Nate could see the sun was close to setting, it's weakening rays casting light onto the items in Nate's lap. Taking the piece of paper and unfolding it, Nate recognized Abigail's handwriting as he read:

 

_Nate,_

_If you are reading this, then I guess that means someone else was able to save you when I couldn't. I know you must be filled with questions, as I was when I first awoke. I'm so sorry to not be able to tell you this in person, but our baby, Shaun, is gone. I'm sure this doesn't give much comfort, as it didn't give me much, but I made sure that the people responsible for taking him are dead._

_I remember Heraclitus saying, "No one ever steps in the same river twice." Truer words, I realized, were never spoken. When I first awoke in this world after only leaving it for what seemed like mere moments, I saw how vastly different it was from the world that we knew. As I stand here staring at you through the glass, I realize that I'm not the same girl you fell in love with. That I too am a different woman from the one that awoke here all that time ago. I am writing this, Nate, because I don't want you to dwell in despair for me or for Shaun as it was so tempting for me to do. I want you to be happy and live your own life._

_Know that I will always love you._

_Abigail_

 

     Tears fell freely from his face as Nate finished reading Abigail's note. Taking the necklace with his and Abigail's wedding bands, Nate held them against his forehead as he allowed his greif to consume him. He didn't know how long he lingered there on his front stoop of his and Abigail's ruined house before he slipped the necklace over his head. He stared down at the gold bands for a moment more before turning his attention to Abigail's Pipboy. Nate wiped the tears from his face as he watched the loading screen.

     Reading through Abigail's logs on her Pipboy, Nate's head became swarmed with questions as he continued to read strange words: ferals, deathclaws, super mutants, _caps_. Strapping the Pipboy onto his wrist, Nate accidently hit the eject button. A worn holotape popped from the top of the Pipboy, Nate recognized it at once as the one he had met to be a surprise for Abigail all those years ago. Closing the cover over the holotape, Nate's recorded message played once more. He didn't pay attention to the actual words as he became lost in thought to the coos of his and Abigail's son. Nate wondered how Abigail had felt when she first heard this. Had it helped her? Or had it only provided her with grief as her note had for him? Nate closed his hands around Abigail's piece of paper. _No..._ Nate wouldn't trade this single piece of paper for anything in the world and he knew Abigail had felt the same about his holotape.

     Nate sighed as the sun's rays washed over him, a feeling of regret consuming him. During the war, he had fought so hard to return to Abigail, to their unborn son. But after going through so much, he had lost them anyways. He should have been here for her. Defeat was in his voice as Nate whispered, "War... War never changes..."

     "Master Nate!" Nate glanced up to see a Mr. Handy hovering towards him, "My circuits warm at your sight!"

     "Codsworth...?" Nate managed to say, his brows furrowing, "You're still here?"

     "But of course, sir!" Codsworth declared, "I would never stray from my devotion to you and the missus!"

     Nate paused as his gaze returned to the ground, his fingers encircling around the gold rings hanging from his neck, "Did he treat her well?"

     The Mr. Handy hovered in silence for a moment before answering, "Mr. Hancock? Why yes, sir, he did... He worshiped the ground she walked on."

     Nate hesitated before he finally asked, "Was she happy?"

     Pity was in the robot's voice as he replied, "Not at first, sir. My mistress was devastated by your's and Shaun's fate. It nearly destroyed her. But she got there... with Mayor Hancock's help."

     "Good." Nate whispered, choking on his own words.

     He didn't know how long he sat there before a shadow blocked the setting sun's rays. Nate glanced up to see Nora standing over him. _Nora_ , who was the spitting image of the women he loved and would never see again. It seemed like it had been only yesterday that he had proudly told Abigail that he had fixed Shaun's mobile on his crib. Tears fell down his cheeks as the image of Abigail holding their infant son faded from his mind. How the hell could he have let this happen?

     Nate and Nora stared at each other in silence, until Nate whispered, "I just can't stop thinking about how I should have been here for her... if I had just been stronger..."

     A warm smile crossed Nora's lips as she replied, "Mom used to say that alot..." Extending her hand out to Nate, Nora whispered, "Let me show you the world she built..."

     Taking Nora's hand in his, Nate stood and allowed Nora to lead him away from the ruins of his and Abigail's house. Pausing as he took a final glance at the home he had shared with his wife, Nate folded Abigail's note and put it in his back pocket before returning his attention to the woman beside him.

     Hancock watched Nate and Nora walk hand in hand down the street from the top of the hill overlooking Sanctuary. A cocky grin grew across his face as he watched them disappear from sight as they continued their journey past the Red Rocket Truckstop, before turning to stare down at the vault entrance behind him. The smile fell from his lips as his gaze lingered on the seal of Vault 111, imagining Abigail rising from its depths all those years ago, before following the trail down to Sanctuary Hills. But instead of crossing the bridge, Hancock followed the stream along the base of the hill until he came across a marked grave beneath the hill's overlook.

     Sitting beside it, Hancock took a flask from his frock, pouring a little of it's liquid over the grave before downing the contents and slipping it back into his jacket.

     "So I met your first husband..." A cocky grin spread across Hancock's face as he stared down at the grave beside him before continuing, "Not gonna lie, sunshine. I really wanted to hate him... But he's a good guy." A laugh escaped his lips before he added,"But then again... I couldn't really expect any different, could I? You wouldn't have settled for anything less... Our daughter is quite smitten with him, just like you said she would..."

     "Twenty-five years wasn't nearly long enough..." Hancock sighed, leaning his head back as the sun's weakening rays bathed his rippled skin, "These past four years have been absolute hell. I miss you so much, Abigail. My promise to you was the only thing keeping me going..." Hancock's voice faltered as he whispered, "I think I finally understand the pain you went through in that damn vault, sweetheart. But I don't have you to get me through it..."

     A tear ran down Hancock's cheek as he ran his fingers through the soil that separated them. Pulling a few canisters of Abigail's Ultra Jet and a tin of Berry Mentats from his pocket, Hancock fiddled with them in his hands before he whispered, "It won't be long now, love."

     Hancock emptied the tin of pills into his mouth as the sun's last rays faded from view before bringing one inhaler after the other to his lips. The Jet's fumes chasing the Mentats. A high unlike any other overcame him as he felt his body weaken, his vision failing. Collapsing over Abigail's grave, Hancock could feel a darkness consuming him as he whispered with his dying breath, "One... Last... Trip..."


End file.
